Up is Down
by Captain Lupin Ferus
Summary: The high seas and a vacation in the Caribbean...who could resist, right? The Elric brothers certainly can. Unfortunately, they're stuck and they're not alone. Pirates, goddesses and Krakens, oh my! Even Captain Jack Sparrow couldn't have predicted this...
1. Prologue: Nasty Little Surprises

**Up is Down**

**Prologue:  
****Nasty Little Surprises**

…**I couldn't…resist… I swear it was the rum that did it in for me! (Points)**

**But, on a more serious note, YES, I have somehow managed to…create yet another wild and spontaneous crossover that most of you will probably think of as odd: **_**Pirates of the Caribbean**_** meets **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_** and then…there's just us, me and Bish, we're just…there… Oo; But, also, this is more of an experimental story than an actual story itself, and with the help of Killjoy, who's been giving me helpful advice and plot ideas, I think all I can say is that things are gonna go a little wacky on the **_**Black Pearl**_** when four weird idiots are brought on board after a rather nasty storm hits the Bermuda Triangle. ;) And we all know that weird "phenomena" happens around there, now don't we? **

**And of course, hurricanes are very popular in that area, and thus…the story itself had taken root in my brain and now will bounce around along with my other stories until I fix it up nice and pretty for y'all. Now, to elaborate, I'm going to say this: YES, I purposely named the story after an orchestral movement in the third PotC soundtrack, to get rid of one thing. Another is, yes, the storyline will follow the pre-second, second, pre-third and third **_**Pirates**_** films. Why have I chosen such an odd crossover? Eh…I dunno, really…it just took root in my brain a few weeks back and started to fester there, like an unneeded tumor that would stay until it was either taken care of or would ultimately destroy me. So, listening to the inner Muse—not to be mistaken with the band, sorry, Bish hun! —, I decided to take action and write this story and (obviously) post it. **

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own the anime/manga **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**. It and all its respectable characters are © to Hiromu Arakawa. I also do not own **_**Pirates of the Caribbean**_**. It is © to **_**Disney**_** and **_**Buena Vista Films**_**. However, all writing contents and semi-plots here are © to me; unless it is stated otherwise. I belong to myself, and Bishquet, my lovely friend here on belongs to herself. ****All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I do not own them.**

_**Summary**_** (since I couldn't fit the whole damn thing in the summary box): Pirates, Alchemists and Krakens, oh my! Wait, isn't **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_** supposed to an anime? And weren't the **_**Pirates of the Caribbean**_** films supposed to be just films? What in the name of Calypso is going on around here! The Caribbean is a lot more fun than Bish and I thought… **

**And now, to go on with the story, and hopefully, this'll be at least a decent hit in the stories department. The story's setting in "present day" will be in 2009, whilst it is 1926 with Edward and Alphonse, and although there is not an EXACT year for the PotC films, it is said that it is based around the 18****th**** century, i.e. the 1700s… So, because I'm VERY picky on exact dates and such, I will post a date up for the time being: 1772. My reason? I checked a timeline and although there wasn't an exact date there either, I believe the date I've chosen predominantly when wedged up against the other dates on the timeline seemed fitting enough. If not…I'll change it later. **

**And of course, a big thank you to my beta, Bishquet, who helped me through this story, and stayed up late many a night, helping me avoid unrealistic plot devices here and there, correcting grammar and such that I had missed on my own few rounds lurking for the little buggers. (Hugs and love to the Bishquet) Thanks, hun, I owe you! **

**(Captain Lupin cracks her knuckles with a roguish grin and sets off on another wild, not to mention weird, crossover story)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_If you're feeling good, don't worry. You'll get over it._  
**- Anonymous**

**OoOoOoOoOoO **

"Oh, man, can you feel that breeze? It feels great!"

Bish rolled her eyes heavenward and looked to the deep blue Caribbean skies, the spray of the sea flitting up into the air. The Hispanic woman grumbled a little before moving away from the railing and towards the door that lead below the deck. "I don't know about you, but I really don't like how the salty air is messing with me. It's making my lips go chapped like a mofo, and the heat is not helping either. And I just put some sparkly suntan lotion on and I'm still baking! I'm going down, hun. You want something to drink?"

"Eh, how about a Coke or a DP or something?"

"What, no rum?" Bish teased and Lupin held back a loud laugh.

"HA! As tempting as it sounds, I don't think we have any."

Bish blinked and disappeared into the cool retreat of the ship. The sounds of rummaging could be heard before footsteps herded closer to the below decks entrance. "Actually, we do. And whiskey."

…

"You gotta be kidding me."

"Nope."

"…I'll try some later when I'm not driving the boat."

"I thought so, whore."

"Bitch, bite my shiny, gold, Aztec-cursed medallion." Lupin replied with a snarky little grin, one hand reaching up to waggle that _Pirates of the Caribbean _Aztec gold coin replica hanging around her neck. Bish rolled her eyes once again and turned back to go inside the cabin below.

"Aye-aye, Captain Lupin." She called sarcastically over her shoulder. Lupin snickered and breathed in the balmy Caribbean Sea air, the lofty scents tingling her nose as she gazed out towards the seemingly never-ending horizon.

_Is this how sailors felt whenever they were at sea during the time when ships were made of wood and had cannons for weapons? Is this how freedom feels?_ A calm and resolute smile crossed the wolf's lips and she let her eyes slip half-mast as she stared out, half-conscious of what she was doing and then the other half was busy fantasizing about how real pirates and merchant sailors lived, and how those days would never come back except for maybe in ancient logs and journals of those long-forgotten sailors. And, of course, there were the book and movie industries, but the wolf wanted to know how it was really like, what it really felt to have calloused hands and to spend months at a time at sea.

It seemed stupid; to be daydreaming about stuff that would never come back, but hey, Lupin could think whatever she wanted.

"_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me…_" She sang under her breath before chuckling. "_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"You gotta be kidding me! Come on, Al!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Rushing motions were set into place as coats were shoved on and bags were draped carelessly over shoulders. "Dammit, I can't believe we overslept! Hurry!"

The overpowering smell of the ocean and dock life teamed extensively as two figures rushed down through seas of people, the first shoving everyone out of his way whilst the other profusely apologized for his companion's rudeness.

"Stop horsing around, Alphonse! Hurry up!"

"Brother, wait, you're going past our ship!"

Golden eyes snapped their attention towards the younger amber-gray eyes and then flit to the name of the ship. The _S.S. Suduffco_. It would take them back to Europe from New York City. They started towards it as soon as they heard the alarming horn resonate, renting the air with its low thrumming timbre. And all this wouldn't have been necessary if they hadn't been given such an obvious false lead. It pissed the elder Elric off to no end that they had been led into circles, but at least they did get one thing out of this whole trip: the notes for the bomb were being planned for something; something big and loud; and terrifying to the world if such notes ever reached the wrong ears and the wrong hands. And that damned scientist led them in these circles.

Dashing up the gangplank, they were greeted by a haphazard and surprised crewman, and with the flash of a few tickets, hurriedly they settled onto the ship, a giant freighter, but it was transport nonetheless; transport with food, shelter and safe passage back to Germany, where Noa waited anxiously for their return. It had been one of the only ships left for transport and the Elric brothers were lucky to have caught a lucky break.

Everything seemed to be going to plan, as the freighter, an hour later, was pulling out of the Manhattan Bay past the Statue of Liberty and the cool sea breeze tickled against Edward Elric's face. He stared out past the iron grey skies, overcast, but not dark enough to be considered storm or hurricane clouds; which, in itself was good, considering the freight wouldn't have set sail if a hurricane or large squall were to threaten the goodwill of the precious cargo right when it was scheduled to set sail.

The only thing the freighter had to worry about were pirates; not the 18th century, cutlass wielding versions, but pirates of this day that wielded actual guns and the like. Sure, there were no cannons attached to their ships, but they were fast enough to surprisingly outrun the old clunky freighter and with little to no protection; especially in European waters, there was nothing to protect the freighter.

Al joined his brother in staring out at the horizon; the sea was all that was left ahead of them for a few short weeks. "It's disappointing…"

The younger Elric blinked and looked to his brother. "What is?"

"That we came all this way for nothing…all on nothing but a wild rumor that was meant to throw us off track, most likely…" He sighed, disappointment ringing clearly in his voice. Al frowned and nodded.

"But we did get to see some interesting sights…and meet some helpful people."

"Not to mention _unhelpful_ people…" Edward grumbled, hunching over against the cold wind. Bringing his duster up a little closer, he huffed out, stamping a foot. "And I can't wait to get back to where its warm…New York City was too cold. It was hard to get a decent night's sleep."

Al laughed at his older brother's seemingly childish antics, but he did have to agree with Ed; it had been cold and nippy for the past few weeks in New York City. Of course, it was just coming out of a rather nasty cold spell from its previous winter. Only last week did the snow actually melt, but some dangerous sheets of ice on the streets and sidewalks still remained.

Ed yawned, as if to boast of his lethargy and stretched his left arm up to the sky, arching his back. "I think I'm gonna go down and get some sleep. Wake me when its time to eat, okay?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was mid-afternoon before any meals were officially given out. Al clomped down the runway to the cabins, where the crew slept on one side, and the few passengers, including himself and his brother, slept. But, just as he was almost to their small accommodations, Alphonse bumped into one of the crewmembers, and they both apologized profusely.

"Sorry about that, I should have been paying attention."

The young man, who was not much older than he or his brother, laughed and waved a hand at Al, as if waving off his apology. "Don't worry about it; I wasn't paying much attention, either. I've got a lot on my mind."

At this, Al had to nod. Yes…there was plenty on his mind as well. The young man grinned, as if not noticing the younger Elric's inner dilemma and inhaled loudly.

"Ah, I just love that smell…the smell of the ocean. Can't wait to get to California."

Al caught himself just in time, stopping his nod halfway through. And he blinked. "W-what?"

The young man, whose name was never given, blinked and looked at Al with a solemn expression. His eyes were wide with surprise. "What? You didn't know that this freighter was headed to California?"

"No! I thought it was headed towards Germany!"

"You're on the wrong ship?" The young man sighed, frowning. "That's too bad…maybe when we hit the Caribbean, we can have you transferred to one of the other ships in port that are headed to…Germany, right?"

Alphonse felt the panic lessen, but this was still bad news. They had gotten on the wrong ship… This wasn't good. And how could he and Edward have made such an obvious mistake? Well, then again, they were on the verge of panic if they missed their only ship to Germany… Which had probably set sail by now, without him and Edward.

Perhaps things would go their way and they would be able to switch ships? As tempting as it sounded, the Caribbean was still far away and the freighter had enough supplies to head past the Caribbean. And it would put them at least a month or so behind schedule.

"Can't we stop in one of the ports in New Jersey? Or somewhere before the Caribbean?"

He shook his head at Al's questions. "Sorry…Captain Turner doesn't make unscheduled stops. We're veering away from America and heading out to open sea right now, so we won't be seeing land until the Caribbean. I am really sorry to hear about this. Are you traveling alone?"

"…No. I'm traveling with my older brother…" Alphonse answered.

"You might want to tell him that you're on the wrong ship if he doesn't know." He said, pausing before adding, "Oh, by the way, my name is Jeremy Strider."

Jeremy held out his hand to Al, who hesitated for a moment, before returning a weak smile. _What a disaster… Brother is going to be furious about this…_

"Alphonse Elric." He replied. Jeremy nodded, his eyes twinkling with pity.

"Again, I'm sorry of this misfortune. I'll talk to the captain to see if we can't sort out this mess before we hit the open waters, but I can't make any guarantees."

Al nodded, grateful for at least that much. "Thank you, for your help, Jeremy."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Oh man, it's hot… Why did you have to choose the hottest place on Earth, Loopy? We could have gone to Italy or France, or even Spain!"

Lupin patted Bish on the head sympathetically, wiping the sweat from her own brow.

"The Caribbean isn't the hottest place on Earth. It's balmy, and it's very humid, but it's not the hottest place on Earth. Death Valley is hotter than this place. Would you rather be there, at this time of year, hm?"

Bish paused, looking at the wolf, who had a raised brow at her in question and Bish narrowed her eyes, huffing a little.

"S' nice here…"

"S' what I thought. Now, what shall we have for dinner?"

Lupin got up from the small-seated alcove that served as a table within the small yacht she and Bish had bought out for a month. The ship pitched a little and Lupin staggered, but regained her balance, moving in tune with the ship's rocking motions. Bish stuck her tongue out at the wolf.

"How in the hell do you do that?"

"Do what?" Lupin asked, looking over her shoulder as she paused at the small pantry.

"Walk…like that…" Bish blinked.

For a moment, the wolf didn't answer, and just stared at Bish before shrugged. "I dunno…I'm just weird like that."

"Pffft, you're a freak."

"And proud of it! Now, dinner, what is it? I'm hungry, and I want food."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The sea was calm and peaceful, sending no connotations of violence or hatred. Dark, almond eyes masked behind a shield of kohl flitted sharply towards the different faces lining his crew; those same eyes hidden behind a mask of seemingly unintelligible comprehension…a façade, of sorts.

Joshamee Gibbs stood at attention, staring out besides his captain towards the sea. Despite the calmness of the sea around them, slowly, as the _Black Pearl_ in all her restored glory, sailed onwards, the water became choppier. The skies faded from the deep, clear blue to sheets of iron gray clouds, dusting over the sun, hiding it. But the fading light only added to the dreary and cold effect that was draping a clammy hand over the collision of the Caribbean and the Atlantic. The unwelcome cover came from the stern of the ship; directly behind it and gaining considerably enough to make a few men worry, but not overall panic.

Suddenly, a bell broke the monotonous silence that dreaded the ship and Gibbs sighed quietly, running a hand over his steely gray sideburns. Four rings…five…six. Just six, simple rings, but it signaled seven o'clock at night. The sky grew darker.

"Cap'n?"

Those dark eyes moved to look over his first mate, and with a swift tilt of the head, Captain Jack Sparrow nodded once. "Seems like a storm's coming." He mused aloud.

"That's what I'm afraid of, Cap'n. It could mean good news for us if we pull out ahead of it, but then again, what about those naval vessels we saw to the aft of the _Pearl_ naught but a few hours before. We've lost them now, aye, but what of this oncoming storm, Jack? We could get caught in it, same as them."

For a moment, the captain didn't answer, a cold breeze sending an involuntary shiver down his spine and the familiar creak of wooden planks beneath his feet was a welcome feeling, along with the pitch and sail of the gentle rocking movements the _Pearl_ made. Yes, this was his one and only home, Jack's freedom, as it were. No other ship felt quite like the _Pearl_ whenever he worked on others; never anything like the _Black Pearl_.

Finally, the orders were given. Have every sail, every sheet out, to put as much distance between the _Pearl_ and the storm. What crew that was there with him stared for a moment, looking to one another, then to the stern at the steely colored clouds that were growing darker by the minute.

"Well? Hop to it, then!" Jack finally barked after a moment's silence and no movements. They scattered, their orders clear, Gibbs remaining before coming back to Jack's side.

"What do you think will happen t' the poor devils caught in that hurricane?"

Jack leaned against the railing in a casual manner, his position comfortable. "I haven't the foggiest, Mr. Gibbs, but I can tell ye one thing: most, I presume, will not live t' see another day if they are caught up in that nasty little storm. And I would _hate_ t' be caught an' have the _Pearl_ go through such a tragedy when I've only gotten 'er back, mate. Let's try t' keep 'er in one piece, shall we?"

"Aye, sir. I'm sure we can coax some more wind into her sails."

At this comment, it made the captain grin and a few gold teeth became visible. "Good. Now, Mr. Gibbs, if you'll please return to your duties…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The yacht pitched once again and Lupin gripped the helm a little tighter than necessary. Bish stiffened besides the wolf and grappled herself onto Lupin's arm.

"Jeez, it's getting kinda nasty out here…you don't think there could be a storm coming, do you?"

The wolf frowned at this and stared out overhead, where the skies had darkened and quickly with cloud cover during the time she and Bish had been below decks, eating their small, but enjoyable dinner. And the horizon was darker than normal, causing Lupin to cant her head to the side and study it carefully, but she honestly didn't know what to look for. She wasn't a terribly experienced sailor, although she had been taking plenty of lessons and as many as she could for the past year or so with her stepfather, who sometimes took her out fishing in the Pacific.

They had once, only ONCE, gone squid fishing with other people, even after Scott had claimed he'd never do it again after his first initial squid fishing before hand a few years back, but Lupin had begged to go. It had been hard, trying to pull those fuckers out of the goddamned water… And most of her 'sailing' was for electric start boats, but she had also taken quite a few sailing lessons on yachts since then, simply fascinated with the art, even if it wasn't sailing old pirate or merchant ships she so loved from the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movies.

It was as good as she was going to get and she was going to take what she could. And this was a first time experience she had sailed under such weather conditions, and without a proper and experienced sailor. _Maybe I should have taken up some more sailing…actual lessons, like on weekends in classes and stuff…_

Lupin had wanted to teach Bishquet, her longtime friend and fellow partner-in-crime—and among other things—to sail and show her the joys of how to use the sea to the ship's advantage. Bish had agreed, and after Lupin's high school graduation, their arrangements and plans were made real. Lupin and Bish had paid two-thirds of the yacht, whilst Lupin's parents had helped pay for the rest, and then for passports and tickets to the Caribbean, where they would be sailing.

"I've always wanted to visit the places that pirates sailed, and why not do it by sailing around like they did? I think it would be kind of neat." Lupin had proposed. The rest came, as long as Lupin had kept her grades up, which she did, thankfully, along with keeping a job and saving up enough money to pay for her end of the bargain.

And now…here they were: in the Caribbean, sailing, on their fourth or so day. The days had been balmy yet the settling summer heat was finally kicking in, and most of the day, when Lupin wasn't at the helm or helping teach Bish what she knew of her experience in sailing, they both were in the cool retreat of below decks, either watching a movie on Lupin or Bish's laptops, listening to music, writing—again, on the laptops they both brought, although the Internet connection wasn't all too great—, or in Lupin's case, drawing. Bish came to watch, and sometimes, she even joined in, which made the wolf happy; she liked drawing with friends. Lupin cooked, with minimal help from Bish, but she knew her friend would just push her aside on helping.

"I'm afraid that we might have to abandon ship if I helped you cook, Loopy. I'd probably have to pull a Panama on this damned thing to make it look like an accident."

At this…Lupin had laughed her ass off, wondering when Bish picked up on the _Sahara_ movie innuendo. It was funny in the least, and finally Lupin found resolve in agreeing. Nobody had to abandon ship and there was very little smoke that spewed from the cornucopias of the stove. Well, at least black smoke didn't come up; just white steam-smoke; the good kind, if there were such a thing.

So, now Lupin stood on the precipice of decision, wondering herself what to do.

"Is it a storm?" Bish asked quietly. Lupin pursed her lips together.

"I…I dunno. I think so, but I'm not sure. I…was never taught how to sail in case of a storm. I guess Scott forgot to teach me. Or he probably thought it was too dangerous."

Bish could only stare at her friend, wondering if stupidity had befallen her friend during her sailing lessons. _She should have taken some classes or something. This is total bullshit._

"You're nineteen, for God's sakes Lupin! You should've thought to press him! You're smarter than this!"

"I forgot, okay? I'm sorry." Lupin winced at her friend's words and sighed before adding, "Look, I think Haiti is to the starboard side of the ship. I think we can get out of the way of the storm if we hump it."

…

Bish stared at her friend. _Starboard? Hump it? What the fuck? _

…

Then she burst out laughing.

"Haha! What the fuck? Hump? Hump what? The wheely thing?"

"What? Starboard's to the right!"

"HUMP IT! HA!"

"…It's a Navy thing, all right? It was in _G.I. Jane_, remember?"

"Yeah, but you make it sound WRONG."

Lupin rolled her eyes. "Everything has to sound wrong when I say it, doesn't it?"

It was at this point Bish was wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of her eyes before slipping her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "Yes, yes it does. Now, just please…speak English, woman. You're not in the Navy, and you're not a pirate."

"Ah, that's right; I'm a _pirate-ninja_." The wolf laughed. Bish rolled her eyes and held onto the railing as the ship once again pitched and rolled with the waves. It was getting choppier and she eyed the boom mast with suspicion as it jarred and rattled, but it held its rightful place without budging so much as an inch.

"Whatever, freak. Just tell me where we are, how far away the nearest land is, and how long it's going to take us to get there. I really don't feel comfortable out here where there's no people to know where we are exactly and my parents almost didn't agree to let me come with you because of that fact. But, I begged them to let me come so that I could see the Bimini Road."

The wolf looked to her friend, sympathy mixed with pity in her eyes before she exhaled slowly, nodding. "Okay, okay, okay… Um…land, which is Haiti, is to the right of the ship. And if I'm correct…it's most likely going to take about three hours to get to land, four tops. Right now…I think we can just barely graze past this storm, if we start towards Haiti and don't make any unnecessary misdirected paths."

"Why would we do that?" Bish asked, looking to the wolf with suspicion. Lupin avoided her friend's gaze, feeling stupid for adding on any unnecessary—not to mention, impossible—information and odds.

"Nothing. I won't make any mistakes. I know I'm right. Just forget I said anything about getting lost; we'll make it to Haiti by like nine, maybe ten at the latest, okay?"

The Hispanic woman stared at her friend, studying the wolf's face before slowly nodding, satisfied. "That's all I want to hear, Loopy. Just get us there safely, okay? I'm…I'm counting on you."

At this, the wolf nodded in return and smiled. "Don't worry, I've got things under control. If the worst should happen, we can always use the radio to call for the Coast Guard and they'll either pick us up by air or tow us back by sea. We'll be fine, as long as the radio doesn't die on us."

_I can only hope I'm right… _

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I STILL can't believe we got on the wrong damned ship! Dammit to hell!" Ed clenched a fist, resisting the urge to pound against the metal hull with his automail hand. Instead, he settled to looking out into space angrily, glaring at absolutely nothing. "I could have SWORN they said that the _S.S. Suduffco_ was going to Germany…" He mumbled.

"Everyone makes mistakes, brother. We'll just have to wait it out until we reach the Caribbean…" Al stated, trying to shift his brother's point of view to the brighter side.

"Yeah, but the longer we're taking to try and amend for those mistakes, that crazy bastard is out there, safe as can be, knowing that we're not on his trail because he gave us a false lead! We can't afford any mistakes, Al!"

For a moment, the younger Elric didn't reply, and this made Ed pause, sitting up in his bunk to stare down at his younger brother. Al looked to be deep in thought, with fingers laced together and propped under his chin, as he stared out the porthole without a look of interest, lips drawn together in quiet resolute.

"Alphonse?" He asked quietly, his anger melting away instantly. Al blinked before he looked to Ed, a small smile crossing his features quietly.

"Don't worry, we'll catch him, but for now, we need to figure out what to do about getting back to Germany. Noa's still waiting for us, remember?"

Ed found himself nodding. Noa…she had been traveling around with them for some time now, helping them in any way that she could, refusing to leave the Elric brothers' side. It was only when they had forced their hands and made her promise to stay and wait in Germany did she finally have to concede to their wishes, but she promised to wait for them while they were away in America with their business. But, they might as well have brought her; nothing important or life threatening happened at all, except for maybe that fight with a few drunkards Ed had gotten himself into just a week ago…

Not that Ed himself was drunk, no; he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time…which, seemed to find him in the most peculiar of situations many a time…

It was the only thing they could do. They were stuck in virtually the middle of nowhere, at the mercy of possible pirate attacks; opposing country attacks, and of course, squalls, storms and hurricanes. All they could do was wait until the opportune moment was within their grasp.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Mmkay, if you've made it this far on the story, good. Now, please, REVIEW, for God's sakes. I'm not posting chapter two until I get at least ten to fifteen reviews. I hate to do this to you all who actually like the story, but if you're not reviewing, then I'm not posting, simple as that. I want feedback, compliments, constructive and helpful criticism, even a one-worded review would make my day! Please, just review, okay, I don't like sitting here, chewing the skin from my bones, worrying away on whether or not this story is a hit or not. 'Kay, thanks.**

**Historical Facts: **

**On March 14, 1926 the **_**S.S. Suduffco**_** disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle whilst on its way to Los Angeles from New York City. It's captain, Thomas J. Turner and its crew of 29 men, all disappeared along with the freighter, never to be heard from or seen again. **

**In August 29, 1772, Puerto Rico was damaged by a hurricane. This hurricane, for the fictional settings of this story, will be used to open a path between worlds for Bishquet, me, Ed and Al to get to Jack's time. :3 **

**The Bimini Road is an unusual rock formation made up of limestone in Bimini, a group of small islands in the Caribbean, very close to Bermuda Triangle. Some say it's the road that leads to Atlantis. Others say, in the Bimini Islands themselves, somewhere; the Fountain of Youth is located…**

**It's good to do some homework before going to work, yes it is. :3 I almost, ALMOST, changed the ship from the **_**S.S. Suduffco**_** to the **_**S.S. Sapona**_**, but the **_**S.S. Sapona**_** ran aground, it didn't disappear, so I kept to the **_**S.S. Suduffco**_** because of its odd disappearance. Not to mention, it's choice in captain. ;)**


	2. Survival of the Fittest

**Chapter One:  
Survival of the Fittest **

**Reviewers (Wow, this got reviews?): **

**Darkness-Chill**

**Arktos**

**Angie Constantine**

**DESTROY-THE-HORMONES**

**Harry loves Ginny**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**OMFG, THANK YOU ARKTOS. (Big hugs and cookies) Thank you; thank you, THANK YOU for the review and the very helpful critique and suggestions and hints for me. I really appreciate it. I know there isn't exactly much "character development" Bish's end, but I think in later chapters there is a little more than in the beginning chapters, but yes, I realize that there isn't much in the beginning. I was hoping more for scenes and actions to be brought forth more than the characters themselves; a setting for each group, as it were. But again, you are a great help and I thank you so much. (More hugs and cookies) :D **

**Also…I was really disappointed when no one else came forward to give some form of critique, perhaps help an authoress out. I'm resetting the review goal again, and please, a review is just a click away. You don't have to, but it's nice and makes a wolf certainly feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_This would be really funny if it weren't happening to me.  
_**- Anonymous**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Are you SURE we'll make it there by nine?"

"Nine, nine-thirty, maybe even ten at the latest."

"Well, it's eight-thirty now, and I'm not seeing any land. Bimini Road…God, I want to see it! I really, really wanted to see it! Atlantis… _**Atlantis**_ I say, dammit!"

Lupin sighed, exasperated as she stood and made a move towards the door, only to find herself being thrown forwards by a sudden jerky movement by the ship. She yelped and held out her hands to keep herself from slamming her head on the stairs. Bish called out in surprise, but Lupin slowly got up to her feet, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm okay…"

"Lupin, please, don't go out there. I'm really scared that you'll fall overboard…" Bish pleaded after another hard slam of the yacht. Lupin bit her lip.

"And if I don't go out, there won't BE a boat for us to fall over of. I need to get back to steering this fucker. Just trust me."

"Trust you? You've never even sailed in a storm like this and you know it!"

Rain suddenly began to pour and Lupin, for a moment, had thought that it was seawater, but it wasn't in a spray or mist; it was water pouring down in sheets. The wolf gnawed nervously on her lip, held in place from the creeping fear that was traveling up her spine from Bish's worrying antics—which, Lupin found very reasonable for her to be.

"Well…at least lemme get the sails furled up. We'll tip if we keep them up. The wind's getting stronger by the minute; I can feel it tugging on us."

"How long will that take?" Bish asked, taking a step towards Lupin, before catching her balance on the counter.

"…Ten minutes, at the most, maybe even fifteen, when I do it alone. If we can get them down, we might have a chance to keep with the storm. I thought we could avoid it. Guess I was wrong…"

"…Just hurry back, because if you fall over and drown, I'm shit out of luck trying to get to wherever it is the hell we're going."

Lupin smiled meekly and nodded before moving back up the small stairwell to the upper decks.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"How much longer until we reach our final destination?"

"A few days. We're just passing…Florida, I think."

Ed nodded, as if approving of something. "Good. The sooner we're transferred, the sooner we get back to Europe." He muttered. Al sighed.

"Well, the trip hasn't been ALL bad. The captain was at least understanding in our situation. He even offered to help pay for our transfer tickets to make up for the mishap."

Ed grunted and lay back down on his bunk, staring up at the steel-plaited ceiling, the creaks and groans of the ship all that was company on this freighter. Al sighed and looked out the porthole, only to find himself staring out at a faint reflection of himself against a steel gray, clouded over sky. He frowned.

"It looks like a storm's coming…"

"So long as we don't get knocked off course, I don't care…" Ed replied nonchalantly.

…

"…You got sick on our way to America in the last storm, brother."

"Shut up! They gave us bad food, that's all! The storm just made it worse!"

Al raised a brow and smirked slyly, glancing at his older brother from the corner of his eye. "Sure, it was the food, brother… Just admit it, you get seasick."

"I do not!" Ed defended. Alphonse only laughed quietly and waved off his vehement brother's angry antics.

But, truly, it did look like a storm was brewing in the sky above. Not exactly a hurricane, but maybe a small squall of sorts. The freighter, however, was strong enough to withstand the trip through, hopefully.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The howling wind roared and the ship bucked while the wooden planks creaked and groaned as the hull of the _Black Pearl_ rose high with the waves before crashing back down. Rain fell down in heavy, silver sheets against the livid, stark black sky. A fork of wicked lightning illuminated the dark night, casting harsh shadows throughout the ship and its scurrying men.

Once again, the ship was left in perpetual darkness, save for the few brave lights that stood against the night's inky blackness, giving the sailors a sliver of warmth to work by and a hint of hope against the treacherous sea. Gibbs stumbled along the deck, ascending the stairs to find Jack at the helm, his steady grip locked onto the spokes, eyes straight ahead as he kept an unwavering determination to keep his ship from being sunk by the rising waves. Even in the midst of this storm—no, this hurricane, Gibbs reminded himself; it was definitely more than just a mere squall—Jack was admirable in his valiant experiences as a weathered sailor, much like himself.

"Cap'n! We should reef the sails before they tear the masts right up from under us!" He called over the howling wind, but for a moment, he thought he hadn't shouted loud enough. Jack didn't acknowledge him and just as he took a deep breathe to relay the message again; Jack yelled back, his words almost lost the wind.

"She can hold a bit longer, Mr. Gibbs! You've never sailed on the _Pearl_ before; not like I have!"

Another powerful wave crashed against the _Black Pearl_. Gibbs held onto the banister and Jack the helm. Even with the wind howled, the rain fell in hard sheets, the thunder growled, and the lightning struck throughout the ravenous sea, Gibbs trusted Jack. Despite his seemingly unintelligible manner and permanent drunken state, confusing vocabulary and odd appearance, Jack was a smart, sly man and an experienced sailor who knew what he was doing. All they could do was trust the captain of this ship to lead them through the storm and all they could do was make sure that the ship itself wouldn't be ripped apart.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was terrifying, even for her. She finally got most of the sheets furled up and tied down with the lines, and now the mast was nothing but a pale ivory tower with crumpled, wet sheets tied to them, the only evidence that it was indeed a ship. Lupin held onto the helm tightly, feeling it trying to jerk from her grip. Slowly, it started to turn the opposite direction she wanted it and she wholesomely blamed the sea.

She gritted her teeth. She wasn't experienced enough. Lupin knew that. She was a novice, a simpleton and not to mention, a small yacht like this, could be easily capsized by the ocean if the waves became any more erratic or vicious than they already were…

_Dammit… I can't stay out here any longer…but we're getting pounded! What do I do? What do I do? We could die out here and nobody would miss us until_ after _we're dead!_

She was terrified and she didn't know what to do… Lupin held back the urge to suddenly cry as she tried to regain at least a margin of control over the small, white ship as it headed into deeper trouble that neither Lupin nor Bish really planned on taking on.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was bad. The hull had a huge tear in the hull and was taking on water, fast. The freighter was going down, and to make matters worse, the storm wasn't making it any better.

"Cap'n Turner! We couldn't keep the water from reaching the boiler room! It's already struck!"

The freighter groaned explosively as if to emphasize Jeremy's words as he stared helplessly towards the captain, whose back was turned to face the young man. Thomas' lips twitched before he slammed a fist against helm.

"Dammit…we're not close enough to make port anywhere… All this cargo and we hit a reef…"

Jeremy flinched. "It's dangerous out here in the Caribbean during a storm, sir…"

"Aye, that's true…" The captain sighed, gritting his teeth. "Tell everyone that we'll…have to abandon ship…we can't make it in time to land, and the ship will be far under long beforehand if we tried."

"A-aye, Captain Turner…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"W-what do you mean we have to abandon ship? What's happened?"

"The hull struck a reef. We're taking on too much water and it's already hit the boiler room. We don't have a choice. We can't make it to land in our current position."

Ed stared at the young man, Jeremy if he recalled correctly, in disbelief. _I can't swim if I fall overboard… And the storm's seems a lot worse now and that seems like a high possibility now._ The mere thought of falling overboard made him shiver, but he hid the reaction well.

"Brother…" Al noticed Ed's intense gaze and Jeremy stared grimly at the brothers, throwing a hand out against the wall as the ship jerked harshly around, keeping his balance. Ed and Al mimicked Jeremy.

"Hurry, we've got to make it to the lifeboats."

The brothers looked to one another before returning their gaze to Jeremy. "Fine…lead the way…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Commodore, we've lost track of the pirate, Sparrow! We can't find his ship, sir!"

Commodore James Norrington resisted the carnal urge to clench a fist and shake the man and force the lead to once again trail Jack Sparrow, but he kept his resolve and stared with a hidden fire in his eyes at the Lutienent before him. It was frustrating…he should have never allowed Sparrow that one-day head start when the pirate escaped from the gallows. He shouldn't have gone soft; he should have never done so…

And now this hurricane would most likely erase all trails of said pirate, and possibly even wipe out maybe one, two of the chain of ships under his command. He hoped not. It would be disastrous if that were to occur. But, he trusted his men would not allow that to happen; they were able-bodied men and seasoned veteran sailors. They were in the Royal Navy under His Majesty's command, for God's sakes! The heretic thought simply vanished as Norrington wiped it from his memory.

"Keep a steady pace. Sparrow can't be far now with this storm slowing him and his precious ship down."

"Sir?"

"His ship may be considered the fastest in the Caribbean…but I cannot even begin to believe that she can stand up against storms and still keep an even course."

"Aye, Commodore Norrington, sir."

The Lutienent sharply saluted the Commodore before he kept a vigorous pace to keep himself balance and to get back to his civil duties aboard the _H.M.S. Dauntless_; Norrington's choice of ship to lead the small armada he had brought with him to hunt for the wily Captain Jack Sparrow. Hopefully, even with the storm slowing him and his men down, the storm would most likely slow Sparrow down as well.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The initial hurricane lasted for almost a week. Provisions ran short quickly and some men, who were lethargic, dizzied with pain, hunger, thirst and exhaustion dropped off like flies first. The captain, however, remained as strong as the Elric brothers, but the few that had survived the storm, now sat in the lifeboat, pining for a single drop of fresh water, to get rid of the Godforsaken heat that was marring their dehydrating bodies.

Only five remained, not including the captain or the Elric brothers. Jeremy had been one of them, but slowly he too was declining in health. The captain looked wearily at his men, then to the Elric brothers, who seemed strong, maybe even stronger than even the sailors he had been with for years. He was suspicious, but his suspicions died away as slowly, he gave himself to sleep to escape the heat of the day in the Caribbean. The storm was taking its toll and who knew how long it would be before he too, succumbed to death.

It was another three days before four men died, including Jeremy, leaving only one crewman, the captain and the Elric brothers alive.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Cap'n, there's something up on the starboard bow. Looks t' be a ship on the rocks."

"What kind of ship?"

"I…don't know. It looks awful strange to me, but it looks to be a ship of some sort."

Jack stared out from beneath his leather tricorn, his kohl providing some neutral protection from the sun's glare on the ocean. Squinting, he could make out what Gibbs was looking out at, but it was…funny looking. It wasn't like any ship he had seen before. It was streamlined, white, sleek, but it had a horrible gash in the slick hull. Taking out his scope and snapping it open, Jack brought it to his left eye, focusing more on the ship on the rocks in the middle of the ocean.

_Black Jack_ was stenciled in neat writings on its side, and the lines were haggard, hanging limply from the small mast. At first, Jack wanted to write it off as a dinghy, but it was too big; but not big enough to qualify as "big" compared to the _Black Pearl_…maybe a little over half the length of the _Pearl_, but not any longer.

"Cap'n?"

"Take the longboat out there and see if there's anything to salvage. If anything, whoever owns that nice li'l boat is probably long gone by now; s' not like they'll need anything from it."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Voices buzzed around her…she couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew they were voices… Someone was prodding at her, sitting her limp body up and something cool and refreshing quenched her parched mouth and throat. Vaguely, she remembered reaching up and weakly taking hold of the hands holding the…bottle? Cup? Whatever it was, it was holding fresh liquid—water—to her and she was taking what she wanted.

"Easy, easy, now lass, you seem to have had a hardship with the sea. Ye must've gotten mixed up in that hurricane…" A voice, gentle and quiet, told her. It was accented, but Bish couldn't pinpoint where it was from. It sounded so familiar, but her brain wasn't functioning right to try and pinpoint where she had heard it from before.

Her vision had been unfocused for too long and it took her a few long moments to realize that her glasses were gone. She reached up and patted her face slowly, feeling no sign of her small-framed glasses, and she looked around to meet blurry faces. "Wh-where am I?"

Oh, God, was that her voice? It sounded so hoarse and cracked; like it hadn't been used in years. She groped for the bottle of water and it was presented to her by a no longer soft hand, but a calloused, weathered and worn one; one that had seen a long hardship in their line of work, whatever that may be. How could she have mistaken them for soft ones when they were so rough?

She brought the bottle to her lips, feeling a slight change in her strength from weak to fatigued and disoriented. "Ah, miss… I believe these are yours…"

Something else was pushed into her hand and she realized what the object was: her glasses. Bish looked down and peered at them, disgruntled, tired and hungry as hell, inspecting the damage. No cracks, surprisingly, just a little scuffed up and water was splattered all over the lens. But, with a quick cleaning, they were presentable enough, even if there were a few water smudges here and there.

And she was…utterly surprised at the sight that met her now clear vision: men, all haggard and dirty, with sweat on their brow stared down at her in a small ring. Some were of dark skin and others of tanned or white. They all had worn out, aged and faded clothing on, some of them more presentable than others, but nonetheless, they looked worn out, but healthy—in a manner of speaking. It was an odd sight to behold; it was like staring at a bunch of raggedy sailors from some pirate's movie. Some even had a few turbans wrapped around their heads.

Then it hit her. Were they on a _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie set?

"Where am I?" She repeated with her voice clearer than before, and a little stronger. The closest to her, a portly man with silvery-gray sideburns cleared his throat, catching her attention. She vaguely recognized him, with his grubby Navy-looking outfit; worn with the years of being on a ship that most obviously wasn't a Navy vessel. He was kneeling besides her, at a respectable distance, of course and his eyes caught hers. She pursed her lips.

"Ah, yes… Welcome aboard the _Black Pearl_, Miss…?"

"A-Ana…" She replied, dumbfounded. Wait…if this was really a _Pirates of the Caribbean_ filming, then where were the cameras? Where was Gore Vebrinski?

…

Where was that hot Orlando Bloom that she so adored? She had seen nothing, except for sea-salted men, old wooden masts and the dark, vast black sails that were slack at the moment, most tied down with lines.

A few of said men were now losing interest in the girl sitting before them, and were slowly sauntering away. Some were ascending the shroud, and others were descending below decks. Those who stayed, however, they were staring at her, ogling, curious.

Then another subject hit her. Where was the yacht? Where was her friend? Panic started to swell within her, but she forced it down, trying to think rationally, remembering where she had last seen her friend. "Where's my friend? A-and my boat?"

The man before her frowned a little and was avoiding her gaze. "Well, t' say in the least…your…ship was piled upon some outcropping of rocks, amongst some shoals, in the middle of the ocean, an' as fer your friend…" He paused and for those few moments, Bish panicked. The thought of him not being able to tell her about Lupin frightened her. Was the wolf dead? She wanted to know!

"Where is Lupin? Where is she?" She almost wanted to shriek at the top of her lungs, but again, restrained herself from doing so. Maybe she was reading him wrong. Maybe Lupin was fine, just perfectly fine. But, the man, as if he were reading her mind, assured her gently.

"Your friend is fine, Miss Ana. If ye'd like, you can come an' see her. Do you think you can walk?"

Reassurance surged through the young woman and she let out a quivering breath. Bish nodded. The man—whose name she could not remember for the life of her—helped her up and with a few shaky steps, finally got back to finding her pace, and after a few moments, realized that she was on an actual ship. Not some fancy, small-spaced and enclosed yacht, but an actual ship from like, the 17th or 18th century. It made soft, swaying motions, but not heavily or terribly so; it was just the nice rocking motion as waves gently lapped at the sides of the ships and Bish inhaled the brine of the ocean around her. It was…nice.

But it wasn't something she wanted to live with day in and day out. Crossing the main deck, she was led to a set of stairs that led below decks and into the cooler confines of the ship; the heat was suddenly dispelled and Bish relished in the cooled atmosphere, but it smelt moldy and briny down here; the scent of the ocean water and something else stunk and she placed a hand over her mouth and nose, making a face.

"Where is she?"

The man, whom she vaguely recognized as the…first mate, if she remembered correctly, looked at Bish from the corner of his eyes and jerked his head forward. "She's over yonder, Miss Ana. She's been in a bit of a shock, really, if the terms are t' be placed correctly. Here…"

Bishquet squinted behind her glasses and stared in the musky, dim atmosphere, noting that a few holes in the ship allowed light to slip through and light the inner chambers of the ship, but not much else. Hammocks were strung in this section of this…below decks place; Bish couldn't remember what it was called down here. Forecastle or something like that; Lupin mentioned it in her daydream rants to her a few days ago. A couple people were down here, but one familiar form—tiny, long-haired and having a more feminine look to their appearance and not to mention, the more "modern day" clothing that they adorned—caught Bish's eyes, sitting on a hammock, looking down at the damp wooden floor.

Before the first mate whose name Bishquet never caught could speak, she darted over to her friend, dodging a bald midget man in the process and she hugged her friend in a surprise attack. The first mate stared for a few moments, before he tromped off, seeing that his duties had been fulfilled to keep an eye on the young woman above decks and he left, unknown to the two young women's notice.

Lupin yelped and almost kicked at her friend, but stopped, recognizing the feel of Bish's curly, frizzy hair and she hugged her friend as well. "Oh, Goddammit, Lupin! What in the hell is going on? Where the fuck are we?"

Bish was furious. She wanted to keep hugging her friend—the only lifeline and sane fragment she had left after that crazy hurricane—but she also wanted to pummel her. Because of this, she'd never get to Bimini Road now! ATLANTIS, DAMMIT! _**ATLANTIS!**_ The mysteries that surround that place…now she'd never be able to uncover them…

So, with quivering fists balled up at her sides now, she stared at Lupin, trying to refrain from glaring at her in a heated, hatred-filled way. She couldn't blame Lupin for the hurricane; she should have expected this. The Bermuda Triangle, the whole Caribbean island chain, was distraught with hurricanes and so was Latin America and parts of South America. It was to be expected: the wolf can't control the weather and neither could she. It was nature and it was an unpredictable subject that man couldn't have power over.

"Lupin…we need to get out of here. We need to…we have to…"

Lupin dropped her gaze from Bish's own and it was then Bish noticed that the wolf was shivering, but not from the cold; it wasn't terribly cool down here, just enough to escape the heat. It was fear that made her act so. "Loopy…what's going on?"

She shook her head. "I don't know…but it's like some…weird…dream come true. Or is it some sort of nightmare? I don't know. We're…we're on the _Black Pearl_. But it's…it isn't a movie set. It's real, Bish, it's REAL, everything. I…"

The wolf let the sentence drop off, as if it were a guilty conscious that held her back from finishing it off. Bish glared at Lupin. "Lupin, it's NOT REAL. We're…we're not on some made-up ship! It's got to be some sort of prank. Maybe we're being punk'd. Did you try calling for Ashton Kutcher yet?"

Lupin once again shook her head. "No, no, no, Bish! It's real. I don't know how to explain, or why…but this place is real. As much as I'd like to believe against it, but at the same time want it to be real, it's really real. I just kind of wish now that it wasn't."

Bish blinked. Wait…what?

Was this Lupin, _Pirates of the Caribbean_ **FREAK EXTRAORIDINAIRE**, saying that she wished that this wasn't real—even when Bish couldn't believe it to be real herself? There is no way Lupin is saying this: she is one of Captain Jack Sparrow's biggest fans.

…

"You just realized what you just said, right?"

"…Yes. Yes I do. But this is all too surreal. It can't be real, but it is. And no, Ashton Kutcher isn't here, so we're not being punk'd." Lupin answered in all seriousness, staring at her friend pointedly. Bish squinted against the dim lighting and looked up at the ceiling, the wooden beams creaking unceremoniously loudly. "We're not moving anywhere. Is that a good thing?"

Bish shrugged at Lupin's question.

"Dunno. Hey…" Bish returned her sharp, inquisitive stare back to the wolf. "Where'd our ship go?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Reset Review Goal: 10 to possibly 15 reviews**

**This is what you'd call a "transition chapter", or also known as, "a chapter that I'm too lazy to go back and fix because this is a very old chapter" chapter. So, I probably won't go back until later. Also, the other name for this kind of chapter is the, "setting the stage and getting ready for the shit to hit the fan" chapter.**


	3. Unexpected Unions

**Chapter Two:  
Unexpected Unions**

**Reviewers: **

**Darkness-Chill**

**Harry loves Ginny**

**DESTROY-THE-HORMONES**

**Adventure Addict**

**Lt. RaIQ of the Boondock Mafia**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Another thank you, a really big one, to another helpful review from Adventure Addict! (Hugs and cookies) I know, I know; less character interaction, or backgrounds, but that progresses throughout the story to a level of decency. As for how us all survived and stuff…um, I had originally written these around near the beginning of last summer, and went back only a few times to fix them up more. I was just extremely timid on posting this story on so I had withdrawn myself from posting it and continued writing to see where the story would go. **

**And I also have actually had to rewrite a few portions of these chapters and dissect through them all, redo scenes and personally, I don't think what little portion of sanity I have left for this exceedingly difficult story to rewrite portions. I may someday go back and add things, but for now, this is what I have. XD Also, considering I'm writing about "me" and my friend, "Bishquet", I try not to reveal too much about our real selves, but also try to give the readers an insight about us as much as I can be allowed. **

**Hopefully, though, this story is at least half of what y'all who're reading this story what you're expecting or is at least decent enough to read. (Smiles sheepishly)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO  
**_  
I just know, before this is over, I'm gonna need a whole lot of serious therapy. Look at my eye twitchin'._  
**– Donkey, "_Shrek_"**

**OoOoOoOoOoO **

"What do you make of these girls, Mr. Gibbs?"

"Cap'n?"

"The girls, Mr. Gibbs. The ones we got off o' that Godforsaken little ship. Dunno how one sails on one o' those things… Tiny, insecure. Nothing in comparison to the _Black_ _Pearl_, o' course…"

Joshamee Gibbs looked to his captain, then to the small outcropping of shoals and rocks, not far from the _Pearl_ where it lay anchored. So far, his suspicions of the Navy catching up to them had died down, seeing as no one has spotted white sails on the horizon throughout the day at all. "Not sure, but they be a might strange pair…"

"Bring them up t' the quarter deck, Mr. Gibbs. I'd be rude if I were to not meet the young ladies. It's only proper as Captain o' this fine vessel t' welcome them and see how they are."

Gibbs looked to his captain once again and nodded. Jack was the captain of the Pearl, rightfully so, all right. "Aye, aye, Captain."

"Good man." Jack grinned, swaying a little on the spot before he moved towards the helm, shooing away Mr. Cotton and his brightly colored parrot. The older man shifted away at his captain's bidding. Gibbs did the same, descending down the dark stairs that led to the main deck and moved to descend below decks and he found the young women where they were and where he had last left them: huddled in the forecastle, sitting on one of the men's hammocks, talking quietly amongst themselves.

They stopped immediately at the dark haired one's sudden prompting to her friend—who in Gibb's opinion looked to be of Hispanic descent, given her thick hair, her delicate looking features and fair skin, which was darker by many shades than her friend's—and they both fell silent. And they waited, as if they knew what they were to expect, but acted accordingly, as if they didn't know. Gibbs was a little more than suspicious.

But, given that these young women seem to have heard of the _Black Pearl_, they knew what to expect of pirates. They must have heard of Captain Jack Sparrow, and its crew. They were probably acting cautiously. Yes, that would have been the given excuse and he would have dropped the ordeal all at once, but something seemed off about these young women. They donned neither a dress nor any male clothing that was familiar to his eyes and it made Gibbs nervous. These young women were very…different, and very abnormal in mannerisms and other aspects he couldn't name at the moment.

So far, he realized that they didn't behave like proper women, English or otherwise; no, they acted more like men and they cursed like sailors in the little time he's spent with them. He's already heard plenty of nasty little terms fly out of the Hispanic woman's—Ana's—mouth and from her friend…Lupin wasn't it? Yes, from Lupin as well and he was oddly reminded of Anamaria by both young women.

Lupin squirmed under his gaze, although he didn't glare at them or show any signs of hidden aggression. More like suspicion, but curiosity as well; curiosity that he was scared of but refused to indulge in.

Finally, he let out a quiet sigh and nodded to them. "The captain would like t' see you ladies." He refrained himself from calling them 'girls', seeing as neither of them are anywhere near the age of little girls. Ana looked about the same age as Lupin, but she had claimed to be turning twenty-two earlier soon and Lupin was nineteen; both were young, but they weren't girls, and he could respect them of their ages.

The two exchanged glances, but it was too dim to see the lights in their eyes: anxiety, excitement and even a tinge of fear. Slowly, they got up from the hammock and followed him back out into the blazing humidity and heat, across the main deck and up the stairs that led to the quarter deck near the back of the _Pearl_. Bish looked at Lupin, who was holding out surprisingly well, but she couldn't help but notice that little grin that starting to leak out at the corner of her lips. Ah, yes. She saw her favorite character all right: Captain Jack Sparrow in all his dreadlocked, braided and beaded gloriousness, standing attentively at the helm, with a swagger in his step as he moved in motion with the rocking ship. "Loopy?"

"Omigod…it's him…" She whispered, and Bish almost snorted. No, Lupin wasn't acting respectfully. She was just refraining herself from turning into a mindless, spazzing idiot. Bishquet patted Lupin on the head.

"Easy now, don't go raping him yet."

Lupin looked ready to choke on the very air she breathed and she snorted back her laughter, gently shoving her shoulder against Bish's. "Bish! Shut up!"

"What, I'm just saying. Oh, by the way, he's looking at you. With bedroom eyes." It was a baited tease.

"Really?" …And Lupin fell for it. She looked expectantly at Jack, who was indeed looking at her and Bishquet but more like odd curiosity and amusement. Lupin smacked Bish with her foot. "Mean bitch."

Bish almost grinned, but held back her comment.

"So…you're the young misses whom we've come along when we were…examining your fine little vessel."

It was at this Lupin bit back all her laughter and snapped to attention, as did Bishquet. Jack seemed pleased to know that they were listening to him. _Examining… Oh yeah, right. More like attempted plundering until you came across us, most likely. _"Mr. Gibbs told us that it crashed on some rocks and shoals."

He nodded. "True. You were lucky we stopped by when we did, but yer vessel does attract a lot of attention. S' too big t' be a dinghy, but not large enough t' be junk or schooner. What kind o' ship is it, I'm curious." He rested one bejeweled hand on the helm, letting the other roam free at his side as he tilted his head at the two, eyes sparking quietly.

Lupin shifted uncomfortably before she cleared her throat, straightened up and let out the breath she had been holding. "It's a yacht, Captain. It's called the _Black Jack_."

Bish had to hide her grin. _Black Jack_. She knew her friend had named it partly after the _Black Pearl_ and partly after Captain Jack Sparrow. It was amusing, a little corny, but hey, it was Lupin and she had been excited to be going sailing in the Caribbean. She had one of those spur-of-the-moment ordeals when it was time to name the yacht…

And Jack was utterly entertained at this, but he hid it from the young ladies. His lips twitched and he took a few swaggering steps forward and motioned for them to move as he split the two apart and towards the stairs. Jerking his head to them, they fell into step and followed him as he descended down the steps to the main deck, and moved swiftly to the port side.

Standing next to the railing, he stared out and the two young women took to his left side of him and he heard the brunette give out a distraught moan. "My boat…my boat…shit, I'm dead… My precious ship…"

Jack pursed his lips. He had to sympathize. A ship, however small, was a sailor's pride, and from the way the brunette—Lupin, he believed was her name, from what Gibbs told him—spoke and was now acting in this manner, was the captain of the small vessel. The Hispanic young woman had wrapped her arms around Lupin's shoulders and Lupin buried her face against her friend's shoulder, clinging to her friend.

"God…I should've called in for someone…I should've…dammit, I did something wrong, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't your fault; it was just…bad weather. It was just really bad weather, hun. You did nothing wrong…"

"I did…that's the thing, I did. We could've called the Coast Guard, we could've and I didn't…"

At this, Jack perked his ears a little more at the mention of "Coast Guard". He had to wonder who or what they were and how in bloody blazes one would "call" for them in the middle of the ocean.

She drew the whimpering, weeping wolf away and Bish stared at her friend pointedly. "Do you really think you'd be able to get someone on the radio in middle of that hurricane, hun?"

Lupin blinked, wiped away her stinging tears that accumulated in the corners of her eyes, and glanced at the quiet Jack and then back at Bishquet.

"But I—,"

"Answer my question, Loopy."

"…No."

Bish nodded. "That's what I thought. You didn't do anything wrong. It was the weather, and now, we have to figure out how we're going to get home. You." She turned to Jack and Lupin also turned to look at Jack, who looked surprised at being addressed with little respect by Bishquet. "Can we get a little…boat thingy out there? We need to get some stuff from our ship."

"Bish…" Lupin said quietly, to which Bish ignored. Jack stared her down, assessing her before he looked across the main deck, staring at the different men that were starting to form a loose knot around them. It had suddenly grown quiet except for a, "Wind in your sails!" from Cotton's parrot somewhere from the quarterdeck. The men stared at Jack and then he noticed that the two young women at his side were staring back at his crew, men that he and Gibbs had picked up in Tortuga before venturing out to the now submersed Isla de Muerta.

Jack turned his gaze to stare at Lupin and Bish. "Mr. Gibbs."

"Aye, Cap'n?" The steely side-burned, old seadog suddenly materialized at his side, just like he has down countless times before.

"Get a long boat in the water. We're to go ashore the shoals and recover what little possessions there might be on the young misses' ship."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Not much could be recovered. Half of the cabin was submersed, seeing as it was high tide among the shoals and rocks that jutted out. The perishable foods were spoiled and some cans were floating around, banging against the soaked walls that had once been plush soft sidings. Lupin and Bish had gone with Jack, Gibbs, Marty, and the rest stayed aboard the _Pearl_. Lupin and Bish fished out the cans, and twice, Lupin dove into the submersed decks with a flashlight she had found next to the poorly dilapidated helm and mast—which amazed and fascinated the few pirates who were standing on the dry parts of the deck—and recovered a few things Lupin had packed in plastic cases with Bish before the storm had hit.

Laptops, of course, were stored away in protective waterproof bags and Bish practically squeezed it to pieces, thanking whatever god was looking over them that the bags stayed intact. Most of Lupin's art survived in its waterproof portfolio, but she recovered a few pieces that had been utterly ruined, much to her grief and dismay. Her art supplies—paints, pencils, sharpeners and erasers—were mostly intact, but her books did not survive their watery grave. Other electronic devices, such as cell phones or the kitchen appliances, died from the excessive water exposure. Lupin and Bish, however, did manage to store away their iPods into their laptop bags, and that alone would probably save their sanity.

Luggage was almost impossible to extract and twice, Lupin had to come up with empty hands, gasping for breath whilst Bish was scrounging around the drier portions of the cabin, trying to recover a few items, but most were lost; gone. She finally joined the wolf in her efforts to bring up luggage and the pirates gathered around the opening, staring in awe at what floated along the surface, Gibbs and Marty helping pull the girls and their suitcases out.

They had those dragged out on the oddly tilted deck and began to spread out the contents, mostly clothes, thankfully, and discarded the most unneeded supplies, sticking with what they needed only. "Maybe we can recover them somehow." Lupin had said with a tinge of hope in her voice as Gibbs came over and hauled the bag onto his shoulder, oddly curious of the pack and of it's overly heavy contents.

Before she and Bish let him, however, they had discarded what clothing wasn't necessary any longer for their particular situation, however difficult, however hard it was to part with some clothing. The rest were left on the yacht, and Lupin had Bish store her clothing in one bag along with her own clothes to save room.

Most of everything was pulled out of the watery depths, but not everything could be saved, or brought out, and Bish came with Lupin in some of the dives, helping the wolf extract things that could be saved; such as glass bottles filled with fresh water, soda and of course, the alcohol. They had to have some sort of bargaining chip, didn't they?

Lupin went back on another dive and came back up only once before she dove back under, and came back with her precious bag and Bish's purse. So, pulling out a heavy, soaking wet book bag, Lupin dumped what she could out and sighed dejectedly, holding out Bish's purse to her. "Couldn't save everything, hun…"

Bish whimpered and looked towards the waters as Lupin shut off the flashlight. And all this time, the men had helped pack away what little items could be saved into the longboat, waiting for the independent young women to finally bid their last good-byes to the broken ship. "My makeup…?"

"I'll go check, but I don't remember where—,"

"In the bathroom, top drawer on the left."

"Ah, that's right. Thanks."

And then the wolf dove back in, and came back out with a soaking makeup bag, and a few other items, including her contact case and a couple solution bottles. Bish nabbed at the bag and whined again as she saw the trickle of seawater mixed with globs of drab and pastel colors swirled around, and she tossed it aside, dejected. "It's all ruined…that was three hundred dollars worth of makeup in that bag alone. Three hundred dollars worth…"

"Was it brand new?"

"A few of them, yes, but otherwise, it was all stuff from a few months ago."

"Then you haven't a thing to fear; that was from a few months ago." Lupin stated point-blank.

"You have no sense for makeup, do you?"

"Nope." Lupin admitted without any remorse. Bish gave her friend a momentary look of disgust.

After they all loaded up what little personal items could be scrounged up, Lupin looked to the metal shafts that once served as masts; now torn and crumpled sheets of pipe metal, broken and crippled by the hurricane. It was a wonder the ship survived at all, and Lupin honestly considered her and Bishquet lucky, extremely lucky indeed when she thought about how things could have gone realistically. She shuddered before the flapping of the slack lines caught her eyes. And she smiled.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Very kind o' you to be offerin' yer ship's old accommodations and supplies, Miss—,"

"_**CAPTAIN**_ Lupin Hawkins, thank you."

Bish shot Lupin a terrible little grin and Lupin hid her own amusement. _I've ALWAYS wanted to do that…_ She thought with glee. Jack didn't seem taken aback by this, but just stared at the wolf before his lips twitched with a grin and Lupin raised a brow, her lips perked in a smirk that seemed to say, "_Well?_"

"_Captain_ Lupin Hawkins. I'm mighty pleased that ye've given these t' us o' free will. But, might I inquire as t' what two young ladies such as yerselves were doing out 'ere all by yer lonesome before this blundering hurricane came an' swept you all upon yer ship's horrid end?"

Lupin sighed, and once again, the look of guilt and remorse spread across her face and she sighed heavily. "We…were sailing. To…Tortuga, and we got swept off course by the hurricane and then I guess the rest just be left unsaid."

It was a downright lie and she had a feeling that Jack didn't believe it and she ignored Bish's glare. Yes, yes, she knew her friend was not angry with her because of the weather, but Lupin also knew Bish was angry at her for not being able to possibly get them to safety even sooner than before. Otherwise, they could have been out of harm's way, waited the hurricane out in safety from a hotel room. But this was definitely NOT what Bish had in mind: being stuck in a movie that was supposed to STAY a movie and _**NOT BE REAL**_ _When did fanfiction become real?_ She wondered piteously.

But, thankfully, Jack did not seem to press the matter and he simply stroked his braided beard before letting his hand drop again. "Tortuga, eh? You do know that that particular port is—,"

"Is a pirate's haven? Yes, we knew. We…wanted to join…a pirate crew." Her hesitance was clear, but Jack didn't seem deterred by it. She hoped that he would mistaken it for embarrassment or the hesitance of secrecy.

"You do also know that most would not have had a woman on board their ship, aye?" Jack pressed and Lupin suddenly realized he was amused at her antics at not telling the truth.

"Yes." She simply answered, but she refrained from adding: _But you had Anamaria as part of your crew and she was a woman._

Bish once again cast her friend a look that screamed, "What are you DOING?" And Lupin merely bit her lip, shook her head and scrunched her shoulders, replying with her eyes beneath her hat that she didn't know either. And it was lucky that Lupin had done so when Jack's back was turned to look over the _Pearl_'s activities. Not too long ago, all the extra ropes that Lupin had extracted from the _Black Jack_ were stored away for future uses, the sails unfurled, and the anchors were pulled up.

Now the _Pearl_ was slipping away from the shoals that had claimed possibly one of many victims, and it did not ease Lupin or Bish's fears at all. They were stranded in the middle of a century they didn't belong in; they were gone from the world they knew; and they were definitely not going to be able to get home if they don't know how they got here in the first place.

"So…you two wanted to join a pirate's crew, eh? Indulge me. Why?"

He turned his gaze to sweep over Bish first, then to Lupin. Bish beat Lupin to the punch line first. "Who doesn't want to rob some stupid, fat merchant who's making all the money and not spreading the wealth? I mean, come on. I want some money to buy the food that fills my belly, too you know."

Lupin grinned roguishly at her friend's answer and could not have put it any better herself. And she wasn't even thinking of a reasonable answer either; it was more along the lines of: _Because I get to blow shit up._

Gibbs, unfortunately had crossed into the conversation a little too late and looked curiously at the young women, and Jack stared at them, as if he didn't seem to understand what he had just heard, looked to Gibbs and then nodded.

"I like that. Good man! Er, woman." He made a face at the end of his sentence and Lupin snorted back her own laughter before he turned to her. "And you?"

Lupin thought for a moment, looked to Bish, and then revoked herself on her previous thoughts. "Because I get to blow shit up."

Gibbs looked to Jack for a split second, then to the two. "I'm not familiar with your accents. Where is it you said you were from?"

_Oh, God, so many questions… _She thought helplessly, and the two once again, for the hundredth time that day, exchanged looks. They needed to lie their asses off, that's for sure, but at the same time, they'd be telling the truth.

"Er…I'm…from America; Concord, Massachusetts but I've got some bits and pieces of European descent in me. British, Italian, German…a little of this and that." Lupin answered. Bish was more at ease with her answer, and very proud of hers.

"Guatemalan, French and Italian, thank you very much."

Another set of glances was exchanged before Bish snapped her attention to the two older men before her, narrowing her eyes slightly behind her glasses. Something fishy was going on and all Lupin seemed to be doing was encouraging it to continue. It was almost like she was EXPECTING and WANTING this to happen and she frowned. What was the wolf doing?

"Lupin…can I speak to you…in private, PLEASE?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Ow, ow, ow! What? What'd I do!"

"You DAMN well know what you're doing and yet you don't even realize it!" Bish stomped her foot on a wooden floorboard and let out an abrasive curse, but Lupin didn't flinch or wince; she was used to her friend's heavy overflow of coarse language that made even the sailors of this ship look twice at her in shame.

"You…you're not seriously even considering on sailing with these people, do you? You can't be serious! We need to get home, we need to get to civilization and back to the people who are waiting for us back home, Lupin!"

Lupin felt her shoulders droop a little and the sense of actions were coming on a little more clearly than before. Was she really trying to convince herself that she could sail with a bunch of pirates? Sure, in daydreams, it was cool; anything could happen, reality can be a little warped and distorted, but that was all in the mind. This was real and truly now; she was questioning her own actions. Bish was speaking rationally, and she made sense.

"Brittney…"

Lupin bristled at her true-blue, real name. How she hated it. Bish knew it too.

"Don't call me that, Bish." She muttered, with a hint of injury to her tone.

"Don't make me call you that, Lupin," Bish replied chastely before she glanced at the ceiling, where the silhouette of leather worn boots were crossing the deck, making the wood above them moan and creak even louder. She sighed and lowered her voice again.

"We can't stay here. We got to find a way back home. If we don't, we'll be stuck wearing grubby clothing and with no music; at least…not any good music, anyways." Bish made a sour face before she clapped a hand on Lupin's shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. "Try to think…do you remember seeing anything unusual or feeling anything during that hurricane?"

Lupin thought for a moment, reeling herself back into her inner thoughts, digging around before shaking her head. "No. I don't. All I could wish was for that fucked up rollercoaster ride to end. It was fun while it lasted, but even I get seasick sometimes…"

The wolf was impressed at how Bish was taking control of the situation; she was thoroughly impressed. And all Lupin could manage was to muck it up. How stupid could a person get, just by living in a dream? She was glad Bish dragged her out when she did; Lupin had actually been lulled into the sense of staying here, but she knew she didn't belong here and neither did Bishquet. They needed to get home, but they were leaving what little home they had left slowly behind amongst an outcropping of rocks and shoals and the tide of the ocean water…

Bish suddenly hugged her friend. "We'll find a way out of this. All we have to do is lie our asses off, get us back to where it is where we were before and find out if we can home through there. I mean…we were in the Bermuda when this shit hit us, right?"

Lupin paused, thinking, then nodded.

"Okay, and a lot of crazy phenomena happen in the Bermuda Triangle; missing ships, planes, people even. It's all got to be real; time warps, worm holes, whatever they're called…something fucked up must have happened because if this is a dream, it's a motherfucking ugly and painful one."

Again, Lupin could only find herself nodding in agreement. "Yeah…we'll just ask where we are, and maybe ask if they can just…drop us off or something."

Bish grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere. Okay, so let's go up and tell Jack this was all a huge misunderstanding or something, I dunno. Something that's solid, something that'll work and even he won't figure out until we're long gone."

Just as Bish finished her quick outline, the two froze at the sound of yell, "MAN OVERBOARD!"

Lupin, being inquisitive, stared haplessly at the hatch that led above decks, before darting towards it and Bish was quick on her heels, curiosity also compelling her up to the main deck. They immediately followed the crowd of men and Lupin had squeezed between two dark-skinned men with turbans on their heads. But what she saw bobbing amongst the waves made her stop and stare and pure, dumb bewilderment.

It was a lifeboat; ones that were usually carried on large cruise ships, freighters and other ships. The yacht she and Bish had sailed had one and the keyword being, HAD. It was one of the first things to go when the hurricane hit and she couldn't find the blow up spare for the life of her. Or, remember where it was long enough when she was under the water, either.

But now, she stared, mesmerized by the long raft, but couldn't help but notice something was odd. No, it wasn't the bodies milling in and on the sides and nor did she take notice that it wasn't a lifeboat from her present day, i.e. the year 2009. It was older fashioned, but it wasn't that what had caught her eye…

Bish pushed aside the man besides Lupin on her left and he grunted at her, muttering about women being bad luck on board a vessel and Bish flipped him the bird, cursed at him and then turned her gaze to the little boat. Lupin slowly turned to look at Bish's frozen features and Lupin swallowed.

"Bish…? Please tell me I'm dreaming. This is really a dream now, right…?"

But she received no response as she stared at two particularly familiar, if not older-looking, people. Lupin swallowed thickly and numbly, she turned and found herself skirting around the scuppers, taking off her hat, jacket and shoes, and suddenly was in the water, swimming towards the raft. Behind her, she heard another splash, but didn't turn to see if it was Bish or not.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	4. Heat

**Chapter Three:  
Heat**

**Reviewers: **

**Lt. RaIQ of the Boondock Mafia **

**Phantom SunsSong**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**Darkness Chill **

**DESTROY-THE-HORMONES**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Thanks for the helpful words, **_**RaIQ**_**. :) They made me smile and laugh when I read them. Also, to **_**Phantom SunsSong**_**, I do agree that I although last chapter didn't have much Ed and Al in the chapter, it was necessary for the ending's set up. But thanks for pointing that out; I can definitely see your point of view on that one. But, there will be more this chapter! **

**Also, I thank everyone else for the reviews; they're helpful and they make me smile when I read them. I try to follow advice and critique y'all give me when and if I can at times. Thanks so much, y'all :3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Drama is life with the dull bits left out._  
- **Alfred Hitchcock**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"All but these two lads dead; shame it is, but the sea is a cruel mistress…"

Lupin ignored Gibbs' remark and bit her lip nervously as she stared at the two chalky white faces, pale and fragile, lying on the main deck of the _Pearl_ and couldn't help but relate to how these two's situation had taken over hers and Bish's. "Okay, okay, that's enough staring! Get me some cold water and something for them to eat! Do it now, dammit, or I swear to God, I'll drag you along the 118 going a hundred miles an hour naked behind my car! Move it!"

Bish began to bark orders and once again, Lupin silently marveled at her friend's adept nature at shouting these orders out like she was in charge, the head honcho. But, clearly, no one knew what Bish was talking about—although Lupin obviously knew; she's heard the wishful thinking many times, and still got a kick out of it hearing Bish threaten anyone with it—but they got to moving, fearing whatever it had meant. It sounded amusing to Lupin, but it probably came out as a curse or a death threat to the superstitious sailors around her.

It was Marty who brought forth the water; two jugs filled from a barrel, most likely, and it was most likely not the freshest tasting, but it was better than nothing. He handed Bish both jugs and stepped back, staring at the two young men on the deck, and suddenly looked up to see his captain standing next to him, staring down at the Hispanic woman muttering in Spanish, then to the wolf, who was given the other jug of water and she began instructing Lupin on what to do.

Nodding vigorously, Lupin only needed to be told once and she stared down nervously at the quiet, pale face of someone whom she knew very clearly: Edward Elric. And next to him was Alphonse Elric, in the care of Bish. _Naturally._ Lupin thought ironically enough, although it sounded bitter in her mind than the funnily ironic notion she had been aiming for.

But now, Lupin couldn't help but feel her heart hammer and her blood pounded in her ears, noting that she was surrounded by muttering men, whispering, cursing and she especially didn't like the fact that Jack was staring at them both and not saying a word. But…most of all…she didn't like the fact that the young man lying down on the deck before her, looking icy pale, could really die at any moment now.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He felt feverish…tired, and his chest hurt; it hurt so much… And there were so many voices buzzing; so loud and raucous and even when he told it to be quiet, it wouldn't. _Just stop…please, just stop it…_

He couldn't even focus and then it suddenly went quiet. Then another voice, blurred and fuzzy, faint, came in. Only one voice, but it was there. Telling him to hang on… _Hang onto what? Just stop…let me sleep, please…_

All he wanted was rest, but the voice wouldn't let him. And it kept repeating a name… Was it his name…? Edward…yes, it was his name, he remembered now…

But now he didn't feel so warm anymore…he felt cooler now, much cooler, but now he felt thirsty… And then, just as he thought it would envelop him in a feverish heat once more, he suddenly felt cooler again and his throat didn't hurt as much. It was then he realized he was more in tune with what was going on around him; vaguely, but he was still aware.

_What…who are you…?_

He fell asleep once again and heard the voices no more.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was three days of hectic insanity and both the young women who had jumped off of the _Black Pearl_ clearly did not want to lose hope that the young men in which they had pulled up to the ship would not die. And also as clearly as they were vicious and demanding in their watches over them, they were also secretive.

Especially Lupin, who refused to allow anyone come near the young man with the longer blonde hair. She was vehement in refusing to let anyone besides her friend help in care for him, and it was suddenly a tag-team of "Doctor" for the two. All they did was demand water for their "patients", and food that wasn't too salted, rotten or pickled and was soft enough for the weakened young men to eat. They slept in shifts, but on their first initial night on the _Pearl_, they didn't sleep at all. Jack regularly monitored the young women, keeping a sharp eye on them, occasionally asking questions, but he sometimes got shooed away with a flailing hand motions and loud barks of, "OI, OI, OI!" from Lupin.

He willingly stepped aside, allowing them to do their work, and at first, didn't know if the young men—who looked like they had suffered from starvation, dehydration, and heat stroke all in one go for at least eight to ten days—would survive at all. It didn't look too strong a hope for them, but the girls…they wouldn't quit.

All the more…he kept an eye on them. They were fishier than he suspected and they were holding out on him; secrets he wanted to know, but then again, he was a greedy, surreptitious man who wanted nothing more out of life than to live in freedom on his ship. And to rob everyone and get away with it, but that really wasn't the point…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Once again that same voice came wafting into his subconscious mind and he tried to push it away, demanding for sleep once more, but it was persistent. It demanded of him to stay awake and to fight: to hang on.

Again, he finally asked, who was it. Who was it that knew his name?

"Mom…?"

The voice stopped in its persistence the moment he finally managed the words. In his mind, it was clear as crystal, but to the conscious world, it had come out slurred and the word had been stumbled on, but not beyond recognition. Then it came back, quietly, a gentleness lining the tone.

"Yeah…sure… It's Mom…"

The voice was quieter, softer now; sweet, kind, worried. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry I couldn't help you…I just want to see…your smile again…" He murmured and then there was another ring of silence before he was answered. He felt a vague squeeze in his left hand; gentle and kind, but he could barely feel it…

"It's okay, Edward. Don't worry about that right now, all right? Please, just get better, just focus on getting better right now…"

"Okay…I'll get better…" He finally sighed.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish looked at Lupin's troubled face and frowned, having not heard the quiet conversation between her and the unconscious young man lying on the small cot next to her.

"What was that all about?" She asked, quietly only for Lupin to hear. The wolf didn't reply at first, but she finally sighed and looked at Bish.

"He uh, he…called me 'Mom'. I think it's his fever talking though…"

"Oh…" Bish paused before adding, "Well…at least it's coming down, right? They both look a little healthier than a few days ago; I mean…they've got some color in their faces now."

Lupin only nodded automatically, mechanically as she took away the rag from Ed's forehead and wrung it out, poured a little cool water onto it from a small glass bottle and then replaced it on his forehead. "I just really wish we could have had some real medicine to help them. I feel kinda helpless just sitting here like this, only able to dab at their heads with a wet rag and hope their fevers will go down… It's a miracle they're still alive."

"I know, it sucks balls, but we only get what we get and right now, it's this. Let's at least make the best of it." Bish replied and Lupin sighed and found herself nodding mechanically again at her friend's answer.

"It's funny…" She murmured after a while of relative silence.

"What is?"

"That we're suddenly adapting so quickly when we should have been freaking out like idiots who don't belong here." Lupin laughed, but it was half-hearted.

"Well, we'll have plenty of time for that after this. Just…keep doing what you're doing, Loopy and pray to whatever god that's watching us to keep these two alive."

The wolf returned her gaze to the sleeping profile before her and she subconsciously reached over and brushed back his bangs from his face, wet from perspiration. Lupin bit her lip and withdrew back her hand, suddenly aware of what she had been doing. She put it back in her lap. "Please, just get better…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"How are the young lads we picked up?"

Half-asleep eyes snapped open and Bish flinched, rubbed her eyes and replaced her glasses onto her face, looking over at the voice's caller. It was Jack. Of course it was Jack; he's the only one who came near this area now in the forecastle or fo'c's'le or whatever the hell it was called. She had been demanding, yes, and she bossed around Captain Jack Sparrow, brutally, and she was a little more than suspicious when he allowed her to do so. Maybe he was coming back to get retribution with her?

"Wha…?" She asked, blinking tiredly as she gazed at the dim silhoeutte of Captain Jack Sparrow, with the curtains she had requested to be hung up for more privacy from the other sailors pushed back against his arm. She couldn't see his eyes, but the way he tilted his head slightly to the side, she could gather that he was looking over at Lupin. Bish did as well and almost broke out smiling, however wrong it was for the current situation.

Lupin had finally subcumbed to sleep and she was curled up on her seat next to Ed's makeshift cot, head snuggled against his right shoulder. It was only then she remembered that that arm was made of metal and she almost laughed. Oh, boy, was the wolf going to wake up later with such a crick in her neck…

"I had asked you how the lads were doing. A few days ago they looked ready t' drop off but you two… It seems you two were all too persistent t' keep 'em alive," Jack repeated, stepping forward and bringing his hands upwards, an object in his hands. Bish watched and waited and her patience paid off. Jack had taken down the small lamp that had been hanging from a nail on the wood above them and had lit it's wick. A single, flickering light had filled the small space and brought forth a little more hope in the dismal air.

Jack swayed on the spot before he took a seat across from Bish, eyes a little sharper, more inquisitive. "You know them, don't you?"

Bish almost bit her lip, but that would give away the game and she returned his gaze as calmly as she could, even when her heart was pounding in her chest at her nervousness. _Oh, shit, he knows…_

"Well…we know of them, but we don't know them personally…" It was vague, but it was also truthful. She will admit, that after all this time, she knew this was no longer a dream, even though it really should be. For one, considering that _Pirates of the Caribbean_ was supposed to be a movie film—well, actually, a trilogy—but yet, here it was, being real as the nose on her face and Jack was staring pointedly at her, as if he wasn't satisfied with her answer. And then another thing…what in the world is going on? First the _Black Pearl_, and now anime characters were starting to pop out of every orifice? What the fuck was going on? It was like some sort of fanfiction orgy was starting to arise. What was next, _Yu Yu Hakusho_ and House popping up with his vicadon and snapping grouchily at everyone aboard the ship while Hiei glowered at the rest in an unruly manner?

Now she was seriously thinking that this was either an elaborate, long-winded dream or that she was in a coma. She was hoping that she'd wake up, but so far, she has been nothing but tired, hungry, thirsty, grimy, and hot. All symptons were taking its weary toll on her body and after long, painfully quiet hours of thinking, she's come to terms that this had to be real. But, obviously, she wanted to know what was going on with Ed and Al.

Movies and animes coming to life… Again, she was reminded of some badly written fanfiction and she and Lupin were caught in the middle of it all. All she wanted was a hot bath, clean clothes and a soft bed. Then maybe a few other minor needs, like hot chocolate and a real meal that didn't stink or taste so overly salty… Yeah, that sounded good…

Bish snapped herself out of her reverie when she heard a soft groan besides her and she looked over to see Alphonse shifting on his small cot, and he finally blinked open bleary, unfocused eyes. Jack leaned in a little to view the young man's face and couldn't help but notice that he wasn't as pale or feverish any longer like he had been a few days ago. He really had to give the girls their credit in their tenacity for trying to keep the young men alive.

Al rolled to his side and Bish attentively put a hand on his shoulder, telling him to lie back down and to not get up. He blinked at her slowly before he complied and lay back down, but he looked to her, his eyes a little more focused now.

"Who…who are you…?" It was barely above a whisper, but Bish heard it clear as day and she smiled reassuringly at him.

"…A friend who kept your ass alive. Now go back to sleep. Your fever isn't down all the way."

He stared at her for a few moments before she noticed a faint flicker of a smile tug at the side of his lips and he nodded, sighing, closing his eyes.

She sighed herself when she waited for him to go back to sleep and then turned to Jack.

"Well? Anything else you'd like to harass me about or is that all, _Captain_?" She had let out the 'Capain' bit in a slight mocking tone, and Jack only blinked at her.

"Mind your tongue, young missy," He murmured to her and it was her turn to blink. He sighed and looked back over to where Lupin and Edward were in their corner. "You should get some rest. 'S late out, Ana."

Then he took his leave. Bish only stared at the empty space that the pirate had filled only moments before and she was left in the silence of the forecastle, except for the occasional snore from Jack's crew over in the other hammocks. After a while, she returned her gaze back to Alphonse and turned back to her duties before she too fell asleep like Lupin; curled up and snuggled against his arm.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was the seventh day after the Elric brothers were rescued. They were looking healthier and their fevers had finally broken down. Lupin felt relief quell down her fears and worries as she took a sip of water from a glass bottle, glancing up at the sky past the large black sails she had only seen on TV and in her daydreams. It was a beautiful ship, the _Pearl_, she had to admit that much. Something screeched above her and her eyes searched the lines until she found a little object with a prehensil tail moving swiftly across a mast, staring down at the crew below it. She only watched as Jack the Monkey scamper around before she brought her gaze back down and placed her bottle in her lap.

"Somethin' troublin' ye, lass?"

The accented voice was familiar to the wolf; Lupin could pinpoint who it was. Gibbs. She turned her head and looked at the elderly seasalt and studied his face before she shook his head. "No…just tired."

"Mm. Maybe you should go below and get some sleep, Miss Hawkins. Ye've been at it keeping that lad alive fer days now."

Lupin nodded tiredly, taking a sip of her slightly smelly water. It had a faint alcoholic taste to it and it was then she remembered that sailors often watered down rum so as to hold out on provisions for long periods of time whilst at sea. Not to mention, now that she thought about it, her head was slightly buzzy.

"Yeah…I think I might…oh, and Mr. Gibbs?"

"Aye, lass?"

"Just call me Lupin."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was noisy outside…

He could hear men shouting… The distant caw of gulls sqwuaking… The soft rumble of waves crashing against creaking, groaning wood…

Groggily, he tried to sit up, but his head swam and he had barely lifted his head up a few inches. His back hurt. What was he sleeping on, metal? It was even less comfortable than the bunk he and Al had on the _S.S. Suduffco_…

It was then that thought alone made him shoot up, and he groaned, his vision swimming and he held his head, tiredly willing the effects to go away. Edward coughed.

"Al…Alphonse…?"

His eyes were still unfocused but he saw something shifting ahead of him and he blinked a few times to clear his vision. It was dim and cool where he was and it smelled strongly of brine and seawater. Ed wrinkled his nose at the strong scent and coughed again. Now he could see a little more clearly, and he saw in the dim lighting that there was a curtain blocking out most of the light; daylight he presumed. A small unlit lanturn was hanging on an old nail, the metal creaking as it moved in tune with…the ship? He was on another ship? But how…?

All he remembered last was sitting in that lifeboat, hovering between life and death…and then he remembered a voice. Kind, soft, quiet, telling him to hang on. It wasn't his brother's voice, no… It had been female. Everything had been vague, he couldn't remember much except that it was definitely female. He blinked tiredly and looked around and saw three other little cots similar to the one he was lying on, two of them empty and the other was extremely close to his and someone was sleeping there, their back to him.

He held his head again, feeling that sudden urge to just lie back down coming back to him. He waited and then looked at the sleeping profile next to him. He was tempted to just leave them be, but he wanted answers and he wasn't finding them in here just by looking. So, he reached over, wanting to shake them awake when he noticed that his gloves were gone and he stared down at a metal hand reaching over to wake the person next to him up.

He swallowed thickly before he looked around worriedly, wondering where they had gone but he found nothing. He had been stripped of his duster, his waistcoat and linen shirt, and when he wriggled his toes, he noticed that his shoes and socks were gone too. Edward frowned before he coughed again and covered his mouth with his hand, muffling the sound.

All that he had on was his pants and then as he shifted a little, he realized that his hair was down. Ed subconsciously ran a hand through it, noting that it was long; longer than he's had it before; it reached past his shoulder blades now.

He turned his attention back to the profile next to him and now that his eyes were more adjusted to the dim lighting, Edward could see that it was a young woman beside him, hair bound up in a low ponytail. He reached over and gently shook the girl's shoulder.

"H-hey…wake up." Ed coughed again and he ducked his head before it passed and he looked back up. "Hey!"

His throat hurt, that was for sure. And he felt a little hot, but it wasn't as terrible as before. He remembered…he had been extremely warm, so hot that he felt like he had been on fire and then…he remembered being cool and contented…safe, even.

"Wake up…"

And finally after another few seconds of shaking the girl's shoulders, she finally shifting, yawning and arching her back in the small space, groaning. She slowly rolled onto her stomach and sat up on her knees, looking sleepily at him before she covered a yawn and then she smiled.

"Hey…you're awake…how're you feeling?" She asked quietly, yawning again. He remembered that voice…it was calm, soft, quiet… He remembered this voice. Was it her that had been taking care of him? He couldn't remember her, but he definitely remembered her voice.

Ed cleared his throat and his mind of those thoughts. "Better than before…where are we? Where's my brother, Alphonse?"

She looked at him for a moment before shifting her gaze away to stare at the curtain. "You're on a ship called the _Black Pearl_… and your brother, he's fine…he woke up just as I was coming in to get some shut eye. I've been, uh…keeping an eye on you since you've been here." She answered. She yawned again and he noticed, even in the dim lighting, how her face was so weary, so tired and faintly, he could make out the bags under her eyes.

"How long have I been out?"

"About a week. You woke up on and off. Your fever just broke about two nights ago, so don't try to push yourself too hard or you'll make it come back. Just…lie down and I'll go get you some water."

She got up and the sudden protest he had built up in his throat died as she left and he was left alone for only a few minutes before she came swaggering back through the thin linen curtain, carrying a slightly grungy looking glass bottle filled with sloshing liquid. He eyed it with a sudden thirst he wanted to quench; something he hadn't noticed until now.

The young woman—he couldn't really pin her age, but if he had to guess, she seemed to be at least sixteen or seventeen, maybe eighteen at the most—handed him the bottle and he grasped the neck of the bottle and brought it to his lips. A tinge of fire rushed past his lips, mixed with the cool water and he almost coughed at the taste. "Sorry…all the fresh water ran out a few days ago and that's the freshest stuff they had. It's got a little bit of alcohol in it…"

Ed coughed and wiped his lips before he eyed the bottle with a little more caution before he took another sip. Even if it burned his throat a little, he was at least glad to get something refreshing in him. The young woman waited until he had drank his fill and he handed her the bottle and she set it down at the foot of her cot and she yawned.

"Just get some sleep now… I know you probably have a lot of questions, but right now, you need proper rest. Your body's still recovering… I'll answer your questions after you get some sleep, okay?"

It was only then after she said the words 'rest' and 'sleep', did he realize he was tired. He yawned and she mirrored him, lying down on the cot next to him. Hesitantly, he followed her actions.

"I never got your name…"

"…S' Lupin Hawkins."

"Mine's Edward. Edward Elric."

And even though he couldn't see her, somehow he could sense that she was smiling. "Nice to meet you, Ed…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was a dusky twilight and the _Black_ _Pearl_—that was the name he was given of the ship—was moving steadily across the Atlantic ocean. Or at least, that was what the old man, Gibbs, had told him. Next to him stood a young woman, who had introduced herself as Ana Ortiz, but also said she could be called Bishquet or Bish, her eyes roving the dusty twilight. Al shifted his weight from one foot to another and recalled the last few hours; a little fast and hazy, but most events were still clear in his mind.

He remembered waking up to finding Bish hovering over him, talking to him softly in a language he hadn't heard before, but it sounded pretty to his ears. When she realized that he was awake, she switched dialects to a language he did understand: English. At least, that was what he knew it was called in this world. Carefully she peeled something off of his forehead and he hadn't realized at the time that it was a wet clothe, soaked with a mixture of his own hot sweat and cold water.

She introduced herself and he had inquired about his brother and where he was.

"You're on a ship and I've been keeping an eye on you and my friend's watching your brother. He's fine, he's just sleeping." She had told him, her words barely above a whisper. Alphonse blinked sleepily and she had helped him sit up and he was surprised at how sapped of his strength he was, but he was glad to admit that Bish was there to help. She had given him some water—which had a tinge of alcohol to it's taste; something she had apologized about, saying that there was no more fresh water—and he felt a little better afterwards.

Al remembered looking for his brother and saw that he was sleeping on a cot against the hull of the ship, shirtless, with his hair down and a thin blanket covering what it could, but he could see that his brother had no shoes or socks on and he almost panicked, seeing the metal foot sticking out from beneath the blanket. Bish, however, seemed oblivious to his stare and sighed, standing up. It was at this point he realized that he was in a similar state; shoeless, shirtless and covered with a sparse little blanket. It felt scratchy and he wondered if it was wool.

"Are you hungry? I can see if we can get some food in you, but I dunno how well you'll be able to keep it down…"

Al looked to Bish and she was reaching over into a little nook he hadn't noticed before and pulled out his shirt and vest, handing them to him. "You don't really need shoes up there. You'll be fine." She had answered his questioning, inquiring gaze. He noticed she was barefoot too.

Finally after he had tugged on his clothing, he had gotten up and felt a little wobbly, but a few moments later and the nauesous feeling along with the weakness in his legs vanished. Bish pulled back the curtain and a stopped suddenly as a young woman with brown hair and a little shorter than Bish by about an inch stood there, her hand up in the air, as if about to pull back the curtain herself. She stared sleepily at the two, and Al noticed the bags under her eyes and had frowned a little at that.

Was she the friend Bish had been talking about? She looked almost as tired as Bishquet did.

"Oh…" The young woman put down her hand and looked at her friend, then at Alphonse. "Hello. I'm, uh…Lupin Hawkins."

Again, she brought up her hand and held it out to him, and Al grasped it, noting that her hands had a strong grip despite her tired façade. He nodded and smiled tiredly at her.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Alphonse Elric."

Then her smile faded and she yawned, returning her hand back to cover it. Bish chuckled quietly and patted her friend on the shoulder, as if knowing without words what the wolf wanted to do.

"Don't sleep too much, or you'll never wake up."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll sleep when I die." Lupin had retorted good-naturedly and she slipped past Al and snuggled on the little cot next to his brother. Yes, she must have been the one who had taken care of Edward, if Bishquet had been taking care of him.

So, after the small initial introductions and a small winding trail through the nooks and crannies of the ship—which he later found out from Bish that it was called the _Black_ _Pearl_—and to an alcove—the galley—where food was being stored, she spoke to man named LeJon and he gave her some food for herself and Al.

It wasn't the best food, but Al had made best with what he was given, thankful that he even got anything to eat. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he finished the small meal he was given. Then Bish, after checking to see if he was still all right, took him topside and they met a few other sailors: Gibbs, a silvery gray side-burned, portly man with an English accent; Marty, a small man who was much shorter than Al's brother; Cotton and his brightly colored macaw that spoke surprisingly well as the old, mute sailor manned the helm on the quarterdeck; and a few other people as well. Jack Sparrow, Bish had said, was the captain, but he was in the captain's quarters and she pointed out where the doors to his cabin was.

So, after a few hours of remaining topside, Al felt better getting fresh air, however salty it seemed, it was better than nothing. Although, he was more than a little suspicious of the sailors that wandered the decks; some were grubby and had a mean glint to their eyes, pistols and cutlasses adorned at their sides and sashes. But Bish had refused to answer any questions pertaining to the sailors she was surrounded by.

Slowly, questions kept building up inside of him: where were they exactly; who were these people; what did they do; why was Bish dressed so differently than the men; what year was it. The last question kept popping up continuously and he was extremely curious, but he kept it to himself. She had claimed it had been a week since he had been picked up, and it had been at least a week-long storm, another few days at sea… He had lost his perception and grasp at the date, the time…

After the sun had set, Marty and Gibbs and another man who went by the name of Leech—who had a foreign accent that Alphonse could not pin down—went about lighting the lanturns that hung around the ship. Al was amazed; a ship that sailed like this; it was rare to find them anymore. What year was it really? A ship like this had to be at least two, maybe three hundred years old at the very least. Was it a replica?

…No. It couldn't be. It was real, right down to the last coiled rope and cannonball that were stored away somewhere on the ship. Bish seemed to note his uneasiness around the sailors and finally had invited him back down to the bunker, as she liked to call it and he obliged, thankful to go back to bed. He hadn't realized how tired he was until after he had finally laid back down on the hard little cot he had woken up on hours before. Bish had taken another cot beside him. She was wedged between him and Lupin to her left and he was up against a small beam and another curtain. Edward was on the opposite end, up against the hull.

"You probably have a lot of questions, huh?" Bish had finally asked. Al opened his eyes in surprise and looked at Bish's darkened form. Above them, a pair of doors creaked open and heavy footfalls accompanied the other men's scurrying.

"…Yes."

"I thought so. Me and Lupin will talk to you later, but for now…let's get some rest, all right?"

Al had hesitated on his answer; he wanted to know everything right now, but somehow, he had a feeling that even Bish didn't have all the answers, so he didn't push her. "Okay."

"I promise we'll talk." She had reassured him. He closed his eyes.

"Thank you…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	5. Stages

**Chapter Four:  
Stages**

**Reviewers: **

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Captain Lt. RaIQ Boondock**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door.  
_- **Paul Beatty**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The clangs of a bell being struck and ringing somewhere… That was what had awoken him. It was cooler within the ship and he faintly could hear the snoring of others being ripped from sleep and groggy, tired voices began to grumble and bodies, he knew, were shifting around. This was probably another watch being put on. Sure enough, the telltale creaks of wooden stairs reached his ears and then another set of men were coming back down the stairs and settled into hammocks and cots on this same level.

Ed slowly inhaled, taking in the scent of the sea and he rolled his left shoulder, feeling it ache before he sat up, hair falling limp against his shoulders. He pushed it back impatiently and squinted. An orange glow of light beat against the stained white curtains and it flickered constantly until he realized it was candlelight. Footsteps moved above his head and he stared up at the dark ceiling, squinting before he sighed and lay back down, listening to the sounds for what seemed hours. Finally when faint glimmers of light at last did break into the cracks of the wooden floorboards, others were starting to wake up behind the curtain, but no one within the squashed cubby in which he was lying in. He rolled over onto his side and almost jumped back up, finding himself face-to-face with Lupin. She was still sleeping, peacefully, unaware of those around her and he relaxed. She sighed in her sleep, quietly.

_You're getting a little too jumpy now… _He thought, frowning. He didn't have to wait long for someone to finally wake up. It was someone he hadn't seen before, but she had been sleeping on the opposite side of Lupin. Her shaggy, frizzy curls were amassed everywhere, but after a few hurried mutters and finger combing through the thick locks, she finally got it somewhat tamed and she yawned, covering her mouth and arching her back.

When she finished stretching, she picked up a pair of glasses and placed them on her face and then leaned over to Lupin and shook her friend's shoulder, earning a soft mumble on the wolf's behalf. It wasn't until the other young woman glanced at him did she note that he was awake, watching her quietly behind tired eyes.

"Oh. Hi. I'm Lupin's friend, Ana…or, if you'd like, you can call me Bishquet or Bish." She said quietly, studying him. Ed finally sighed and sat up.

"What time is it?"

Bish shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. All I know is that it's light out and I'm hungry. Hang on a minute; I need to get this lazy wolf up." She muttered before she snapped her fingers in Lupin's face. "Hey! Loopy, get up or I'll sit on you!"

Ed was a little taken aback at Bish's little threat, but it did get the young woman sleeping next to him to wake up. "M' tired..."

"So am I, but I know you're also hungry, so get up. We need to talk to Jack after breakfast."

"Later…sleep now…" Lupin mumbled, her eyes cracking open, but Ed wasn't all too sure that she was actually looking at anything in particular.

"No, you get up now or I'll hurt you. You've been sleeping since yesterday afternoon, you missed dinner and it's time to get up."

The wolf sighed, as if she was going to go back to sleep but finally she rolled over onto her back and sat up, stifled a yawn and stretched, groaning. Something tumbled off of her and when Ed looked, he saw it was a black trench coat, worn and weathered from years of use. She must have been using it in place of a blanket…

Lupin looked over at Ed and seeing that he was awake smiled tiredly and waved. "Hey. Glad to see you're up…"

Ed studied her and then smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm glad to be up too."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After Alphonse woke up, the four of them headed up to the topside, nibbling on something that they could handle and not get sick because it was too salted or it wasn't rotting. Lupin crunched on a red apple as she stared at the men at work, looking to the horizon. It was still early and the sun was just above the ocean; bright, feebly warm and breaking through the pale mist that clung to the waves like a lifeline.

A strong wind was filling the black sheets that pulled the _Pearl_ forward. Gibbs saw them emerge from below decks and called to Lupin and Bish.

"Ah, I was just about to come an' get you all. The Captain wishes t' speak with you."

The girls exchanged looks and the boys were going to hang back, but Gibbs shook his head. "ALL of you. That includes you two lads as well."

It wasn't terribly bright in Jack's cabin, but neither was it dark or dim. He had a few candles lit here and there, but otherwise, the lighting that came through the windows was what served for the eyes that couldn't search the dark. Jack himself was placed leisurely in a large chair directly behind a high-rising table, maps and charts spread spaciously all over and a few tools that measured distance on the maps were littered across the table, along with the occasional empty glass bottle here and there. Oh, yes, it smelled strongly of his favorite alcoholic beverage, but it also smelled like faint spices like cinnamon or rosemary in there as well. A tray of a finished meal was lying on the table on the farthest corner of the table.

Jack's coat was hanging on a hook and Lupin eyed it, and then spotted his leather tricorne, sitting haphazardly on the back chair he was sitting on. Jack watched as the four filed inside and motioned to Lupin with a flick of the wrist. "Close the doors, lass, I don't want any unwelcome ears t' b' listening t' our conversation."

She nodded and turned to close the doors and then placed herself next to Bish. She resisted the urge to look at her friend and instead locked gazes with Jack until he swept his eyes away from her and towards the other faces.

"So…am I t' understand that these two lads are fully and unyieldingly healed, gone with their fever an' any other assorted ailments?" He nodded to Alphonse and Edward, but his gaze stayed upon the girls. They exchanged looks. "Are they or are they not better?"

Ed glared mildly at the man. "Don't talk about us when we're right here; you can ask us."

Jack glanced at him for only a moment before he shrugged lightly. "Here I thought the girls were yer doctors. Let them speak an' then I'll speak with you on how you feel, lad." He answered chastely.

"Well, they got through their fevers and they're walking okay. You guys…haven't been feeling dizzy, nauseated, or weak, have you?"

Al shook his head, answering, "No, not lately."

"No." Ed simply answered with a slightly clipped tone. Lupin frowned. Ah, the old chipped shoulder. She obviously had forgotten he didn't like being brushed off like that, but he was still tired, she gathered. Tired, cranky, lost and utterly confused as to where he is, but sincerely, Lupin felt hesitant on telling him that he wasn't in…whatever year it was that he and Al had been plucked from. He did seem a little older…but he was only a couple inches taller than her; Al was taller too, taller than his brother.

"Good. At least they have all their limbs intact, they seem like strong lads…"

Ed looked taken aback at Jack. He thought he was a strange fellow; what, with his red sash and beads and braids and dreadlocks; the slightly drunken slur to his speech; his black-rimmed eyes and little flailing hand motions he continuously did...and this was the first time he's met the captain. Jack seemed unintelligible, but from the manner in which he spoke and the quick, calculating eyes that roved over him, Edward had a feeling that there was much more to this man than met the eye. He was smart, sly, and even dangerous if it came down to that. He just screamed something other than a regular sailor, a regular captain. He was different…roguish, criminal…pirate.

It was then his theory proved right; this man was smarter than he let on.

"You four aren't from 'round these parts, are you." It was a statement, not a question.

Lupin blinked only once before she began to protest, weakly, at his accusation. "Yes we are, we—,"

"Don't lie t' me, lass. I may be many things, but stupid s' not one o' them. Out with it; tell me the truth. No one else is listenin' t' us. You 'aven't a thing t' fear from me." Jack stated, and Lupin was for the first time, taken aback by Jack.

He was slightly different than she had pictured him; oh yes, she knew him pretty well, but how well do you know a character you only get to see act in the same situations over and over again? You never get to see every aspect of that person at all. She pursed her lips as he took a bottle from the table and brought it to his lips, taking a sip, but never taking his eyes off the four. Then he took it away from his lips, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and put the bottle back on the table.

"First o' all, you girls seem to know these young men. But you claim you t' never 'ave met them." The Elric brothers looked to Lupin and Bish in surprise before their attention was drawn back to Jack. He pointed to them. "An' you two don't seem t' be all what you seem. You there, the shorter 'un."

Ed bristled and gritted his teeth, glaring at Jack. "Don't call me short." He growled dangerously, but Jack seemed unfazed by the young man's vicious tone. Al frowned, knowing that if he had better health, Ed might've gone on longer than that simple sentence.

"You don't have real limbs, do you? Your right 'un on yer arm, an' then your left leg aren't real, are they not?"

Lupin closed her eyes. Things were falling apart and it took one man to do that. Not a team, not a crew, but one single man and it happened to be Captain Jack Sparrow. She had honestly forgotten how smart he could be; but then again, he preferred words over violence for answers and negotiation. That much she remembered.

Ed, in the meantime, had clenched his right fist in his pocket and shuffled his left foot and he had done it all on purpose. He knew nothing of this man, this pirate, and obviously didn't know the true depths of this pirate's intelligence. "Yeah, what of it?"

Jack studied the elder Elric for a few moments longer. "Show me. I'm curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat." Edward snapped back, earning a reproachful look from Alphonse. Bish shifted uncomfortably next to Lupin. Up to this point, Jack had shifted his focus onto mostly Edward and Alphonse, but she knew that Jack would be coming back to them sooner or later. She really hoped it was later.

"Let me be the judge o' that one, mate." Jack countered and he stood up, teetering dangerously on one foot before he regained his balance and he walked forward, hands swaying at his side freely. Lupin almost laughed. Jack was taller than Ed and from the look on his face; Lupin gathered that Ed didn't like looking up to Jack like he had to.

"Captain's orders, mate. Show me."

Edward studied Jack's face, and then glanced at Lupin and Bish. For a moment, Lupin thought she saw softness in his eyes, almost as if to reassure the two of them, to not be scared. She swallowed thickly and Ed turned back to glare at Jack challengingly, who stood about a foot away from them all and stared calmly at Edward. Lupin noted he had a fresh ring of kohl spread under his eyes.

"All right, you asked for it. Don't say I didn't warn you that this is something you haven't seen before, though." Edward muttered before he pulled out his hand, revealing the automail hand and using his left hand, peeled back the right sleeve of his shirt, revealing the artistic craftsmanship of his automail. Lupin stared, mesmerized by it as it glinted dully in the shadowy edge of the cabin, and she had a sudden impulse to reach out and touch it. She refrained herself from doing so, though. Bish looked at the arm with wide eyes, impressed at it, although she could note a few small indents and scratch marks here and there. And it made her wonder, what in the hell has he been doing to get those.

Al had baited his breath, looking from the girls' faces then to Jack's. But, none of them seemed afraid by the arm at all. Jack stared, fascinated, as if he had just acquired a new treasure to hold onto and the two young women in the cabin stared in wonder, in awe at the craftsmanship. Al felt a smile almost tug at his lips. That was Winry's best work; something she poured her heart and soul into and even if Ed wouldn't say it aloud, he knew his brother was grateful for the limbs she had given him.

Then, suddenly, Jack's hand shot forward and he leaned in, holding the metal limb in his own hand strongly, viewing it with a tilt of the head. He viewed the hand, the fingers, the lower arm and his eyes roved up to the shoulder, and then met Ed's eyes, who at this point took back his arm from the pirate's grasp. He had allowed Jack his fair share of staring.

"It goes up to my shoulder, in case you're wondering." He answered the man's questioning gaze. Jack nodded and then motioned to his leg.

"An' that?"

Ed gave Jack another mild glare before bending over and pulling up his pant leg to reveal the automail leg, just as highly crafted as his arm. "This one comes up a little past my knee."

Again, Lupin noticed that Ed had glanced over hers and Bish's way, as if to check up on them, to see if they were still there. He was surprised to see both of them calmly looking at the display he was showing before he looked back to see Jack leaning down to gaze at the leg and the pirate racked his knuckles against the calf joint. "Never seen anything like this before…"

Ed finally had had enough and he jerked his pant leg back down, disrupting Jack's roving eyes and inquiry. Ed stood up, glaring at Jack. Lupin had a feeling that once, Ed must have been proud at being able to walk around with his automail in the open like he could in Amestris. Now, he had to hide it, keep it a secret, not allow people to see it. She could figure it was out of necessity more than fear that prevented him from allowing it a little more freedom.

"Of course you haven't." Ed agreed and Jack straightened up to his full height. He then turned his pointed, sharp gaze towards the two young women.

"Like I said before, you all aren't from around 'ere. I want the truth and we're all going t' stay 'ere until I get it," He paused, allowing it to sink in before adding, "Or, if ye'd like, you can choose the brig over talking t' me and get sick all over again. An' truly, I'd _hate_ t' put two perfectly healthy young ladies in that smelly lot m'self, but if I have to, I will."

Bish restrained herself from shouting a challenge at him. _Oh, yeah, right, stay in the fucking brig._ He was crazy and there was no way he'd do that. Bish narrowed her eyes and Jack caught her glowering.

"You have somethin' t' say, darlin'?" He glanced at Lupin. "Or perhaps you, hm? I'm sure you think I'm mad, wanting t' hear whatever half-baked sob story ye've got, but right now, I see it plainly as day: I'm the only friend ye've got right now and clearly, if you don't cooperate, you'll be out of options on what t' do. Am I right?"

Stepping with that drunken swagger to his walk, Jack turned and sauntered over to his chair and his table and bottle of rum, his dimly burning little candles and sat down, staring at them from behind kohl-rimmed eyes. Alphonse finally spoke after his period of silence. "As much as we'd like to tell you what happened with me and my brother, I don't think you'd believe us, Captain. It's…complicated."

"Erm…the same with us, Captain Sparrow. It's complicated with us and we…don't exactly know what happened ourselves." Lupin spoke, inclining her head at him respectfully. She looked over at Bish and her friend nodded at her, agreeing. But the pirate only laughed at them.

"So enlighten me. I like a good story every now an' then. I'm sure I'd be one o' the few who'd believe you, anyways. Tell ol' Gibbs and he'd think you mad…"

"Bish…?" Lupin looked to Bishquet questioningly; hesitance in her eyes and Bish pursed her lips and nodded.

"Yeah…let's just tell him and get this over with."

Hesitance still remained in her eyes before she shifted her gaze to look at Ed and then Al and she felt a little more secure from the good-naturedly smile Alphonse gave her and she sighed, looking back at Jack.

"Well…where do you want us to begin?"

"First you, luv, then the lads; I'm sure your story will be just as long as theirs and we'll be 'ere for a while, I can tell, so you might want to take a seat, wherever you can find it."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Jack had been right; the stories did take a while. Bish and Lupin both told their story: they weren't from this century and they didn't even know what the date was—Jack reprimanded them patiently, clearly stating it was 1772—and though both were hesitant on their end, Lupin finally said they were from 2009; about three centuries ahead of the time period they were currently trapped in. They only just purposefully left out the part where Jack and everyone else aboard this ship were portrayed as fictional entertainment characters in their time period. Because that would be bad and they didn't need twice as much drama than right now.

"That's scientifically impossible, though…time travel is just a myth." Ed had countered, and he was given a pointed stare from Lupin.

"Really? Than how do you explain you being here? Or perhaps me and Bish being here as well?"

At that point, Edward closed his mouth and said nothing else, although the fire in his eyes stated otherwise.

After the girls were finished, Jack was stroking his braided beard and staring at them from the corner of his eyes, lips twitching once, twice before he sat up. "So…you two lasses are really lost an' not by misdirection or miscalculation either, eh? Curious…very curious, indeed. And I s'pect you'll be wantin' some 'elp getting back home to yer mums and dads, too."

Ah, yes, there it was…the faint glimmer of hope in the girls' eyes. They looked at him with those pleading, puppy-dog eyes, as if to say, "Please, please, please."

"I am truly sorry t' say this, but how is it a mere mortal man such as m'self be able t' send two girls back to their rightful century? It does seem a bit rather…_unscientific_ to even consider, really."

Lupin studied his face and she narrowed her eyes, as if seeing that he had an inner motive and he almost broke out grinning at her. _Smart girl._ She didn't trust him. Not many did and it was indeed worth the looks on people's faces when he proved them just the opposite of what they thought he would do. And of course, he caught the look in Ed's eyes when he mentioned, "unscientific", as if to prove he had a philosophical standard point of view.

"But…perhaps, after I take care o' some business, I'll be able t' talk t' a few o' me friends an' see what I can do fer you."

At this, Lupin and Bish's eyes sparked again with some form of hope. They were truly holding high regards of the possibility of getting home.

"An' you two? What's yer story?" He watched the brothers' exchange looks and Jack stared at them in that calm manner he's held all morning. "An' I don' wan' ye lyin't' me. I would very much appreciate it if you stuck t' the truth. It'd be much easier fer me to understand the whole story an' not just bits an' pieces o' it."

The next story was long, about as long as Lupin and Bish's. The Elric brothers had explained on how they had taken the wrong ship, the long sail to the Caribbean, what year it had been…the hurricane and the days of drifting in and out of consciousness on the lifeboat; the heat, the hunger and thirst that couldn't be slaked. But, Lupin noted, they had purposefully left out that they were from a different world and that they were looking for something. A something that had went _**KABOOM**_ back in 1945, unbeknownst to them, and she planned on keeping it that way.

"Yer lucky that these two fine young ladies were extremely persistent in their attempts t' keep you both alive," Jack stated, looking at the Elric brothers' faces and then the girls' faces. Ed glanced at Bish, who seemed proud in the factor that she had accomplished, but when he looked to Lupin, she had hidden her face, as if embarrassed and didn't meet his gaze except for a split second. She ducked hers away when she realized he had been staring.

He frowned, but said nothing.

There was a small cone of silence and finally Lupin broke that silence.

"Captain?"

"What's on yer mind, luv?"

"What's…going to happen to us? Where are we going to go?"

Alphonse looked between the quiet wolf and the eccentric looking pirate that had held them for questioning. It was a matter that was to be brought up and he was about to, but Lupin had beaten him to the punch line. Jack returned the thoughtful gaze towards the wolf, as if he was working out the problem himself at that very moment before he answered.

"Well…assuming that you have no home, no money, practically nothing except what little you extracted from yer ship an' the clothes upon your back…I s'pect yer out o' luck, darlin'." He waited, waited to see if there would be panic in their eyes, and he stared pointedly at the young men in his cabin as well, as if to tell them that this was also their current situation. His gaze seemed to give out the message to them clearly enough, but Edward only glared back in challenge against him. Jack had to hide a grin. _Fiery 'un, 'e is…reminds me a bit o' William._

But, there was no reaction of panic from either side and he sighed. "I suppose…I can allow you t' sail on me ship up until I can figure out m'self what t' do with you lot. I'm sure my…friend might be able t' 'elp you somehow. But, like I mentioned before, I 'ave a few previous engagements t' attend to and I certainly cannot dismiss them, even fer yer sakes."

It was at this point, he brought out a thick leather book from the opposite end of the table and he motioned to it. "O' course, yer not getting a free ride out o' this. Ye'll have t' sign the logbook and agree to the codes I've set alongside it. An' if you have a problem with my rules, we can always just drop you off somewhere along the way to my prior engagements. Savvy?"

Lupin stared at it. "So, if we agree to sign that…we'll be marked as pirates by the Royal British Navy?" She asked quietly.

It grew quiet and Jack nodded grimly. "I'd be lying if I said no, luv. You sign it, yer about as good as marked. You don't sign it, you can plead kidnapping or something or other with someone else and try to sell yer story with yer friends there. Just s' long as you don't come 'cross the East India Tradin' Company, I s'pect ye'll be safe. I won't force you o' yer will, though."

Lupin looked to Bish, but avoided the Elric brothers' gazes before she sighed heavily. Then she returned her gaze back to Jack and she suddenly broke out grinning. "Always wanted t' be a pirate, mate."

The accent took him by surprise, but Jack watched as Lupin stepped forward and taking a quill from an inkwell that Jack had set up on his table, opened the book and her eyes roved the guidelines that were written in Jack's neat handwriting and then she scrolled down the names until she found an empty spot and signed in cursive her name. It was scrawled messily in the small box.

She turned to look at her friend, who nodded. "Nice. My turn."

"Wait, wait, you can't be serious. You're actually going to sail with a bunch of pirates?" Ed stared at the two in a transitional combination of awe and disgust and Lupin cringed under his gaze, but she held as firmly as she could.

"If it means getting home, then yes, yes I will. And if you're as smart as I think you are, you might want to do the same. I'm sure we can trust Captain Sparrow's unnamed accomplice or accomplices; I have a feeling we could get help from them." She was surprised to find herself glaring at not just Ed, but Al as well, as if to say, "It's the only way, so do it."

Bish had already signed her name and was looking over the different names before she came back to stand next to Lupin, looking quite satisfied with herself. Jack had stood up; undetected by the four teenagers and he took the book into his hands, viewing the names in the mixed candle and sunlight.

_**Brittney "Captain Lupin Ferus" Hawkins **_

_**Ana "Bishquet" Ortiz**_

He looked to the four again, and realized that tensions were running high once more. But, somehow, the taller of the two boys managed to quell the smaller one down a considerable amount. "Easy, easy…you're still recovering from your fever, brother."

"Ed…just…trust me when I say this…Jack's a good man. I have a feeling he'll be able to help us. And he was right, what he said earlier. If you told anyone else your story, you'd be considered crazy and you might get sent to the gallows. You'll…you'll be hanged if you spout anything to anyone else. They like to hang crazy people, you know." She added the last bit with a serious face, but in a not-so-serious voice. She watched him pointedly, although she seemed to have made her point. Or, so she hoped she did.

Bish stared sympathetically at her friend. She knew why the wolf was trying to keep the Elric brothers from leaving: she didn't want them to go, to see them gone when they had only just met. If anything, this was like some weird conflict of fate that knocked all three worlds together and she had to agree quietly with Lupin. She didn't want to see neither Ed nor Al leave either. If they left…who knew how long they would survive? She wasn't even sure she and Lupin would be able to survive for long; just like men, they hung women without remorse, without sympathy. Well…not unless one pleaded pregnant, that much she remembered from Lupin's ramblings. Yes, the wolf was a reliable source of seemingly useless information, but now it seemed to be very valuable information, considering the situation they were in now.

Ed's face seemed to be set in a blank state as he merely stared at Lupin without giving away his inner thoughts on his face like most people would. His golden eyes searched the young woman's face, wondering why she was so persistent in keeping him and his brother from leaving. Well, it wasn't like they could leave now, for God's sakes, but when they hit the mainland, they could. He looked to Jack, who was still holding the logbook in his hands, but the pirate ignored the young man's stare and continued to flip through the pages, seemingly oblivious to those around him.

Finally Ed let out a quiet breath. "If you try anything against me or my brother, I swear to you now, you'll regret it by the time I'm through with you."

Jack finally looked at Edward and set the book down and lifted his hands in mock surrender, a smile on his face, but Ed didn't like the look in the man's eyes. "Wouldn't dream o' it, mate; I understand fully."

By the end of the day, Jack was surveying the book and he looked over the four fresh names written in the logbook, but his eyes lingered on the last two names with interest.

_**Edward Elric**_

_**Alphonse Elric**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	6. Observations

**Chapter Five:  
Observations**

**Reviewers: **

**Captain Lt. RaIQ Boondock**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**To **_**Cap'n RaIQ**_**, the two most notorious women pirates were Anne Bonny and Marie Read. They both sailed with Captain Calico Jack and I believe it was Anne who was married to Calico Jack. When the Navy captured their crew, they were the only two who remained fighting up until their capture while the rest of the crew hid in the brig. When Calico Jack requested one last visit to his wife before being sent to the gallows, she shrieked at him, "**_**If you'd have fought like a man, you wouldn't have to be hung like a dog!**_**" **

**Ah, history lessons. I love them. :D I'm really glad all you enjoy reviewing my stories; I enjoy reading them! They make me smile and laugh, and help me get out of a bad mood when I read them. Thanks again, to all of the other reviewers as well; I enjoy reading them as well. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.  
_**- Albert Einstein**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The next couple of days were easier to manage. Lupin and Bish both kept a constant watch on the Elric brothers, fretting like mother hens over their "patients", making sure they were eating what they could, and drinking plenty of liquids—even if it was watered down rum or traces of alcohol mixed with the closest thing they could find to fresh water. Well, Bish was much fussier than Lupin was, who would occasionally just verbally check up on Ed, sometimes keeping an eye on his temperature and the like.

In the meantime, they were also receiving lessons in making knots from either Gibbs or Marty. Taking it slow, as Jack had told them, was an important step. But, they were learning quickly.

"Ye've managed a slip knot, Miss Ana, that's good, that's good… No, Mr. Elric, that isn't how it's supposed to go. It's the other way around… Yes, like that…"

Marty was especially picky on how the right knot was supposed to go and snapped unceremoniously at one of them when they got it wrong. Lupin had already known a few knots beforehand, making her lessons a little easier.

"How'd you know all this stuff already?" Ed had inquired one day, sitting in the shade when there was simply nothing but smooth sailing as the _Pearl_ moved steadily over the Atlantic, a cooling breeze making the heat of the day more bearable. It was strange; not too long ago, Ed remembered it being too cold and now it was too hot. He sincerely did not like the weather at the moment.

"Well…my step-dad taught me some stuff… Plus, I was stranded in the middle of the wilderness for a month when I was sixteen and had to learn some of this crap. I know how to canoe, portage, pitch a tent and create a wet fire all by my lonesome." She had answered, at first a little bashful, but at the end, she seemed to swell with some pride at the skills she had managed. Ed had to grin at that.

"That's funny…I remember doing something like that with Alphonse when we were kids…"

Lupin had to laugh; acting as if she didn't know what he was talking about, but in reality, her mind was reeling back to those choice episodes she had watched, truly knowing what he had meant by that. One thing she had made herself do was to not let Ed or Al know what she and Bish knew. Maybe, maybe sometime in the future, but for now…ignorance was bliss.

"Was it by choice?" She asked.

"Well…yes and no."

The conversation died for a while and they sat in silence for a while, and were joined by Bish and then Al not too long after before all four were telling stories about random things; but the most they obviously avoided was their families. Lupin and Bish were homesick; Ed and Al didn't have any except for each other. But…they did not regret having made Noa stay in Germany. They wouldn't have wanted her to have to endure this madness on their account.

And the sailing with pirates wasn't as bad as Edward or Alphonse had thought. They had learned a few things besides knots and the parts of the ship that were to move and not move; like, for one, the pirates of this ship, for the most part, weren't as bad as they had originally thought. Gibbs had once been in the Royal Navy, but had left due to his opinions on how there were, "too many rules and regulations to follow up on". Marty was tougher than he appeared, despite his size and had once recalled the escape at Isla de Muerta and how the previous crew had been cursed men because of the island's treasure.

Ed thought it was a cock and bull story, but Lupin laughed, whilst Bish snorted and grinned as if it were some inside joke that she suddenly understood upon hearing the story and Al seemed to think it was entertaining enough. Cotton's parrot, however, Ed did not like. Twice, when he had passed the old, mute man, the parrot had leaned over from Cotton's shoulder and nipped at Ed, squawking, "Dead man tell no tells!" or, "Davy Jones is dancin' a jig!" in all seriousness, as if the parrot were human. Lupin thought it was utterly hilarious and would often coo to the bird and once or twice had actually coaxed the bird onto her hand and had actually SNUGGLED with the damnable thing.

Bish was there when it happened, watching and shrugging at Al's curious stare. Ed was next to Lupin when she had done this and both he and Cotton just stared, wide eyed as the parrot snuggled in Lupin's arms and she pet all the right spots whilst avoiding being bitten.

"She used to have birds. She's an animal freak." Bishquet had commented absently aloud, earning the unbelievable stares from Cotton and Ed.

And then there was that bloody monkey. Jack loved to use it as target practice when he was annoyed or aggravated, and Edward, by far, had to admit the pirate captain had a good shot, but when Alphonse pointed it out, he couldn't tell if he was drunk or sober whenever he was out and about. It always seemed like one or the other and it was all too confusing to try and figure out. Jack the Monkey, Lupin called it, but she refused to say why it was called it.

"Ask Jack. He'll tell you. Just don't tell him I sent you." She replied mysteriously and Bish as well refused to tell the two inquiring brothers anything as well. The brothers, although their opinions on why the girls being secretive were different—Ed believing they knew more than they let on; a lot more and Alphonse believing that they just felt that whatever they knew wasn't their place to explain to him or his brother—they had to settle on one thing: they both knew something and were holding out on them. But, if it evened out the playing field, the brothers both agreed to keep as little of what they had been doing to themselves from anyone else.

It wasn't until the third night after they had signed Jack's logbook did they figure out where they were headed. Well, Lupin had figured it out, but she relayed her info to the other three, Bish agreeing that it did seem odd. Bish was looking at the sky, glancing between the ship's course and then the clear sunset and she frowned, looking at Lupin.

"So…where do you think we are?"

"Well…given that I have no compass, regular or magic, I'm going to guess…we're heading towards…either Africa or Europe; one of the two. Somewhere around there, I'm guessing, but I dunno how accurate I am."

"How do you know that?" Alphonse asked Lupin, curious.

"Um…well, we're heading slightly northeast and the sun rises in the east, right?"

"Yes, I know that…"

"Okay, well…if we were picked up somewhere near the Caribbean, wherever it was, and then the _Pearl_ were to, ah, pick back up its original course, it would be cutting across the Atlantic, towards the east." She pointed to the setting sun and Bish snorted back a laugh.

"Geez, you are such a geek, Loopy."

"Shut up, I'm just too damned smart for my own good," Lupin laughed jokingly before she continued. "Okay, so if we're heading northeast, then that would be aiming for the northeastern tip of Africa, OR, Spain or somewhere close to that. Wait a minute… This doesn't make sense, wait…"

Lupin muttered under her breath, tracing invisible lines on the wooden deck, and Bish raised a brow at the wolf's mutters. "Baka, baka, baka…that wouldn't make sense, iei…"

Ed glanced at Lupin from the corner of his eyes, Alphonse watching intently—although he hadn't a clue what Lupin was muttering about or tracing on the wood—and Bish frowned at her friend's jerky little actions. It was at this point Lupin suddenly stood up, eyes burning with a sudden fire. Bish blinked and stared at her friend, chocolate brown eyes sharp and witty. "What is it?"

"I think I just figured something out, hang on…" And then she darted away towards the quarterdeck where Jack stood, staring out past the bowsprit, eyes roving the darkening horizon.

"Jack? Can I ask you a question?"

"Well, it seems t' me that ye've already done so, but go ahead an' ask me another." He replied. Cotton's parrot squawked and Lupin glanced at the parrot before it sneezed and blessed itself for doing so. Cotton patted the bird on the head with one hand, and then replaced it back on the helm.

"Well…according to my…calculations by using the sun as a map, we're heading northeast, correct?"

"Aye…"

"Okay, so am I to assume that we're heading to either the northeastern tip of Africa or possibly even Europe?"

Jack didn't answer at first but finally conceded to a loud sigh. "An' how, pray tell, did you figure that all on your own, eh? You seem t' be smarter than you let on."

"My step-father, thank you. He sails and he taught me how to fish. I gut them with pride." Lupin said pointedly and sarcastically before adding, "So, you planning on telling me where we're headed?"

"Not particularly, but I s'pose if you are inquiring as t' where I am sailing MY ship, I'll let you in on a little clue. We're t' be visiting an old key-maker somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea."

Lupin ducked back down the stairs to the main deck without a word and Jack watched the girl leave, wondering what she was going on about. What did it matter where he sailed his ship? It may have been the crew's business, but she was technically not a part of his crew; she and her friend and the Elric brothers were all guests upon his ship. Sailing, yes, doing some work, yes, but they weren't part of his crew. He did not need four cabin boys…or cabin girls, in the case of Bish and Lupin.

But, finally, he returned his gaze to the darkened horizon, staring out, as if waiting for his place of desire to just suddenly spring out from the waters afar…

Lupin scuttled back into the small group and looked around, her eyes nervous as she watched Leech walk past, staring at her and Bish disapprovingly. Of course…it was expected. He must believe that lie: a woman aboard ship is considered bad luck. He must think very lowly of Jack for having allowed both her and Bish to stay like they are. But, oh well. He'd have to deal; Jack was Captain, after all.

Finally, Al tapped Lupin on the shoulder and she cringed before meeting his gaze with a raised brow, as if everything was completely normal. "Is something the matter, Lupin? You seem a bit…flustered."

"Flustered? Moi? Never. I was just asking Jack where we were headed. I'm shocked you'd think I would ever been flustered." Lupin blinked, mock hurt at his innocent observation. Bish rolled her eyes and punched the wolf in the shoulder. "OW! What'd I say, what'd I say?"

"You whore. You're holding out on us. What'd he say?"

By this time, the Elric brothers, who had been spending a little more time with the girls, seeing as they were more friendly faces besides Marty, Gibbs, Cotton or Jack—although, Ed did not admit it aloud, he was sullenly reminded of a more…drunken version of Roy Mustang whenever he was in Jack's presence; he bristled at the man constantly—were starting to slowly get used to the fact that they had mouths like the sailors around them, only a little more…modern. They swung the harshest words like they were candy and Bish especially. She was proud of her mouth and Lupin was amused by it. She was assertive, aggressive, spontaneously wild and eccentric and had a fire to her that sparked when someone tried to brush against it. They burned, but Lupin seemed to be able to collide fairly well enough against Bish without too much damage.

Not to mention, Lupin wouldn't leave Ed be until the restless young man actually listened and RESTED, whilst Bish kept her vigilant watch on Alphonse, who was much more compliable than his older brother. Lupin sucked in a large gulp of air and slowly let it out, looking to each curious face.

"Well…he wasn't specific. I told him my observation and he said that we were heading towards the Mediterranean to look for a key-maker… I know it sounds familiar, but from where…?" She frowned at the last bit of news she spread and finally sighed, collapsing. "I want something to drink…"

"How about some whisky? I hid it in my bag when no one was looking."

"No…no hard liquor…did you save some soda?" Lupin moaned, shaking her head. The last thing she needed was a headache and Bish sighed.

"I dunno. I think you took it, remember?"

"Oh yeah…I'll check to see if I have some."

Ed raised a brow at the two women, feeling left out of the conversation, but he didn't mind all too much. "The Mediterranean…what is that he wants from this key-maker there?"

Lupin shrugged and glanced at Bish before she blinked. "Wait a minute...oh shit. Bish…?"

"Hm?"

"…I think we're in _Dead Man's Chest_." And there was Lupin's first mistake. She had mentioned an unmentionable in front of mixed company and now she just only remembered that Edward and Alphonse were both still in the conversation area, even if they weren't conversing. Curious stares bore into her and she bit her lip, her focus remaining on Bish. Her friend's eyes blinked a few times.

"Wait, WHAT? What the fuck does that mean? Does that mean that…Kraken thing is gonna attack us? Oh, hell no, I'll make that bitch into fried calamari if he tries to touch me!"

"Shit, shit, shit…why didn't I notice this earlier? Why? Fuck me Freddy, this is really bad…" Lupin moaned and she put her head between her knees, arms pulled over her head as she let out a small whimper. "Fuck…"

Ed snapped his fingers near Lupin's head, drawing her attention from her moaning pity. She did not like the questioning look in his eyes; the way they demanded for answers, the way they penetrated her, as if he could see right through her. Her eyes widened when she realized he was there and then those stormy blue-gray eyes flickered over to Al for only a moment, and she groaned.

"Oh…I forgot you two were there. Um…"

"What in the world are you talking about; _Dead Man's Chest_ and Kraken? What is this stuff you're babbling about?"

Bish clapped a hand over Lupin's mouth before the wolf could answer, staring at Edward, annoyed at his antics to demand for answers.

"Just forget what we said; it's nothing, nothing at all; just our weird twenty-first century girl talk. We're freaks. Well…she's a freak; I'm just a hug whore."

The Hispanic woman ignored Lupin's muffled cries of indignation and protests as she rolled her eyes. Ed studied Bish's face, unsatisfied and unyielding at backing down. Bish picked up her guard and rolled her own eyes, as if that was the final brush off.

"It's nothing that would interest you; so back off, all right? Loopy spouts off random crap all the time, you know? She's just fresh out of high school, not even weaned into college yet. Poor dear." Lupin made a groaning sound and again reverted to rolling her eyes before Bish finally removed her hand and the wolf coughed only once.

"Bitch."

"Your point is?"

"I love you, too." Lupin muttered and Bish patted her friend on the head, eyes still watching Ed, who still had the regards of suspicion in his eyes, but he said no more. Brute force wouldn't crack Bish because when push came to shove, she'd ram you through a wall like a bulldozer. Lupin had put up her own guard too, because she purposefully changed the subject. Edward exchanged a look with his brother before making an excuse that he was tired and Alphonse mirrored him.

"Take off your shoes when you get into bed, Edward!" Lupin shouted at him and he waved her off.

"No way, we don't need anyone else to know about you-know-what." He remarked and she hissed at him, making a face.

"You kicked me in the shin last night! That fucking hurt! You can leave your socks on you know!" She sounded angry, but she was laughing at him and with a smile plastered on his face, he merely shrugged and descended down the stairwell and slipped through the nooks and crannies of the _Black Pearl_, slithering down to the forecastle where the crew slept, and where the small cubby space he and the other four slept.

"They're hiding something, I just know it. They won't tell us, but why?"

"We're hiding something too, you know." Alphonse responded quietly, looking around to make sure no one was listening. Edward sighed, aggravated.

"That's not the point, Al. What they're hiding, it's…it's like they know this place, like they know what's going to happen… I know it sounds weird, but something is fishy about the way they talk about it."

Ed pulled back the curtain and slipped into the small cubby, making sure not to hit his head on the beam and he reached for the small lantern and pulled it down before moving towards a candle someone had lit not too long ago. Lighting the wick, he replaced the candle back and closed the glass casing and the lantern glowed softly. A soft, tired sigh escaped his lips.

"Maybe they don't trust us." Al replied, but a scant tone of hurt was traceable in his voice and Ed frowned, knowing that Al hoped that wasn't the case with Bish or Lupin. No…they trusted them, but at the same time…they didn't. They would be close by, keeping an eye on the two of them, but they also were very secretive, Lupin choosing her words carefully when stepping onto certain subjects and Bish would simply avoid them completely, changing or ignoring them.

"Wait…Jack said something a few days ago to us, when we were in his cabin…" Ed muttered; his eyes detached from the world around him as he delved deeper into his thoughts. Al stared curiously at his brother before he remembered what Edward was talking about.

"Didn't he say that Lupin and Bish seemed to know us…even when they've never met us before?" He remarked and Ed nodded, agreeing.

"Yeah…but how can that be? Like you said, we've never met them before… It's a little suspicious, don't you think?'

Al nodded at his and his brother's observations. It was strange. Yes, Lupin and Bish were both nice young ladies; not to mention, they had never given up on him or Edward when they were pulled out of that lifeboat. They saved their lives, and Al knew his brother well enough: Ed felt indebted to Lupin and he to Bish for doing so, but even so, Ed didn't like the fact that either one of the girls was keeping secrets from him.

Alphonse didn't like it as well either, but if truth be told, Edward and himself were both keeping their own secrets and had brushed both of the girls when one of them came inquiring as to what they were doing beforehand. "It's none of your business," Ed would say, as if neither Lupin nor Bish would understand. Bish got ticked when she was given the brush off, and Lupin willingly backed down without another word on the subject.

Replacing the lantern on the nail hook, the soft glow of the flame's light filled the dismal little cubby, shadows flickering and dancing softly in the background as Ed snuggled against the hull. He looked over a few homely possessions the girls had said they recovered from their old boat called the _Black Jack_: a book bag, a few books, and some bottles of some name brand beverages were cramped into a small hole above Lupin's small cot and she used her jacket as a blanket.

Bish had a purse, a small traveling suitcase and a plastic storage bag with a thin, rectangular item inside; something Bish had called a 'laptop', but she didn't indulge any more information on what it was. She said Lupin had one too, but it was in her book bag. The few books that were placed above Bish's head were just as wet and grubby and sad-looking as Lupin's. Ed frowned at their states, but after a moment's thought, he had figured they were what the girls had rescued from the dilapidated boat they had once called 'home away from home.'

Home… Both the girls had one, wherever they were from. Lupin refused all together to talk about her family, but she barely hesitated when it came to friends. Bish, on the other hand, was more free at talking about her cat Twinkie, her dogs—especially the one-eyed one; Lupin had laughed her ass off at that, saying that she was there when the dog happened to lost its eye—and how her family was a little crazy, but she still loved them all the same. Her sister, her mother, her father… Sometimes, she complained, other times, she reminisced.

"It was really cute when Loopy had come over in her prom dress and my dad danced with her a few years back. She was being taught how to do the salsa. Oh, and the kittens? They use me as a battleground. They don't care if they scratch me, the little fuckers. But they're adorable, so yeah. It's epic."

Once, and only once, did Ed remember waking up and he thought he had heard crying coming from the wolf, but he hadn't been sure. It wouldn't have done any good to just out right ask her; she was proud; prouder than most other women he's met in his life and would have most likely outright refused to admit that she had been crying, so he had said nothing. Bish however, was strong; he noticed so far; strong, independent…

By his small observations, she was able to harden herself, but Lupin had yet to account for that level of emotional control.

Al's sigh brought Ed out of his thoughts and he saw his brother lying down on the cot he had been given, tugging at the scratchy blanket, but he made no comment about it.

"It's getting late, brother. We should get some rest."

"Yeah…it's been a long day."

He looked at his left hand, noting the calluses, and the faint rope burn marks from earlier than day. His hand still stung, but his right one was fine; it couldn't feel the burns or the bruises like his left could. His hand was becoming worn out and he knew too, Al had the same marks on his own hands.

Ed finally sighed and brought a hand up to take out the leather tie he had been given so that he could bound his hair back from getting in his way. He lay down and listened to the groaning of the wood and the water beating against the hull. He was still awake when Lupin and Bish finally came down, about an hour later.

Bish clunked down on her little cot and mumbled incoherently to Lupin, who seemed to understand what it meant and mumbled, "Good night," to her friend before slipping under her own jacket and snuggled into a curled position. Ed finally fell asleep a little while after the girls had come back.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

About four hours after the four had fallen asleep, there was a cry of alarm from above decks and someone shouted for everyone to wake up, to get out of bed and to start moving, get to work. At this, Lupin had jolted awake and Bish started, looking up at the ceiling in alarm at the sudden outcries. Al rolled over and clambered to his knees at the moment someone started screaming like the ship was on fire. The lantern above had gone out sometime when they were all asleep, so it was difficult to find shoes and socks.

It was cold outside. Lupin had been glad she brought her coat with her and as she slipped it on, she and the others noticed that the crew was moving about, some gathered on the starboard side, pointing at something out at the dark, starless horizon. Some of the lanterns were being blown out and she looked to the quarterdeck, one of Jack's usual ship haunts.

And there he was, attentively keeping an eye on the _Pearl_'s course while Gibbs was handling the helm, not Cotton and his belligerently speaking parrot.

"Be right back, Bish." She muttered in her friend's ear. Curious, her friend's brown eyes met Lupin's blue-gray ones, but Lupin could hardly deter the color in the dark lighting.

"Where're you going, what's going on?" She was clearly cranky at being awoken and now abandoned.

"Just to ask what's going on. I'll be right back." Lupin replied before she moved towards the stairwell and ascended quickly, Bish pouting and boring holes in the wolf's back.

"I was having a really nice dream too…" She grumbled. She joined Edward and Alphonse's side at the railing whilst Lupin was on the quarterdeck, approaching Jack.

"What's going on? Why's everyone up at this late an hour?"

Jack glanced down at Lupin and then looked past her towards the starboard side, nodding towards the distance. He pointed to a specific spot.

"Look out there carefully."

Lupin, curious, turned and followed his hand and squinted. There, far out in the distance, a few bobbing lights on the water and faint white sheets caught her eye. "It's a couple of ships." She observed.

"Very good; ye learn fast."

At that, Lupin frowned but ignored his comment, more annoyed than hurt by his tone.

"D' you know what 'er colors are?"

"…No. I can't see that far."

"It's the East India Trading Company. They're bad business fer us pirates, luv. I'm orderin' the men t' blow out all the lanterns around so as t' not attract any fair share of their attention."

"Can't you just outrun them if they tried to come after us? The _Black Pearl_ is faster than any war ship." Lupin retaliated, her eyes once again drifting to view the other sheets out on the ocean, mesmerized by their faint sweep of motions, but also held her fear at arm's length. _Is Beckett on one of those ships? _

"Oh, aye, the _Pearl_ can outrun any ship and overtake them as well, but she can't outrun a fleet of cannonballs. I don't wan' any 'oles in my ship." He patted the wooden platform in front of the helm with a fond look in his eyes.

"Aye, that'd be bad if a stray hit one o' the masts or blew a hole in the hull. We'd be taking on too much water and they'd catch us outright if that were t' happen." Gibbs nodded in agreement before Jack turned to him and motioned him away with his swaying hands and flailing motions. He took the helm from the old seasalt and told Gibbs to make another round and to double-check that all lanterns, above and below deck were taken care of, along with his cabin.

"We'll sail by them, quiet as church mice until we can't see their sails on the horizon any longer. I s'pect they're heading towards the Caribbean, by the looks o' it." Jack muttered more to himself than to Lupin as Gibbs quickly jostled down the stairs. Then Jack fumbled at his sash and pulled something loose that was hanging at his side and instantly, Lupin recognized the box-shaped object: Jack's compass.

He flipped it open and squinted down at it, waited a few moments, then snapped it shut, slightly adjusting the helm with a faint touch. It was after that he noticed Lupin was still there and he stared at her.

"Well? Go an' do something or other…er, like scrub the deck. Ask Gibbs right now; he'll give you a job. Same goes for yer friends down there. Go on."

Jack made a shooing motion and Lupin batted his hand away. "Nyah, fine, I see I'm not loved. Later."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"So, those ships we passed were part of the…East India Trading Company?"

Lupin nodded. "Yeah…I, uh, heard that a guy named Beckett might be on one of the ships. He's really bad news and a tricky guy to place a deal with if you aren't careful. A real backstabber; be careful of him, Jack said, if you ever come across him."

Only Bish seemed to notice the slight indifference in Lupin's tone when she explained what she had found out about an hour ago. No one could see the white sails on the horizon any longer, but Jack wouldn't have the lights relight for another hour, just to be on the safe side. Lupin thought it was ridiculously clever, yet somewhat dangerous, to be sailing in darkness like they were doing. Wasn't he afraid of hitting a reef?

Ed frowned at Lupin's information. "Beckett. He's in charge, right?"

"Dunno. Jack simply says he's bad news. He'd avoid the man if he can, and so would I." Lupin was half-lying. She knew Beckett's rank. He was considered 'Lord Cutler Beckett' nowadays, but she was supposed to be playing incognitos. However…it wouldn't hurt to warn the Elric brothers about the man; he played a vicious businessman with vehement intents with people and the Company… But she was damned glad he died in the third movie.

Then it got her to thinking… _How long will we survive? I really don't want to become Kraken food._ And from the mental visual scenarios she was going over and over in her head, there wasn't a safe place to be had on the _Pearl_ when the imminent attack would occur in…a few weeks; a few months? Who knew how long it would be.

All she knew was that she was losing track of time; but if she had to guess…the four of them had been on the _Black Pearl_ for at least two weeks, just about that. Bish grumbled.

"We woke up just to stare at some lights in the water. I'm fucking pissed. I'm going back to bed. Screw scrubbing the decks or whatever…" Bish flopped back down on her cot and Lupin sighed, pulling the curtain back down to cover their cubby from prying eyes.

Ed yawned and Lupin tried to fight the urge, but yawns were contagious. She stretched as she yawned herself and slipped off her jacket, shivering. "Cold… I hate the cold. I wonder how much longer it'll take us to get to the Mediterranean…"

"Dunno, but it'll be probably warmer as we head farther north towards the warmer countries." Ed answered quietly.

"We'll be passing Spain, and it's around summer right now, right? It'll be warm around there…" Al offered and Lupin shrugged as she snuggled against Bish's back.

"Mm-hmm…it'd better be; I'm looking forward to getting back to the Caribbean, though. I can work on a tan…I recovered my swim trunks and Bish's suit too."

"…And you didn't tell me this, WHY?" Bish's voice grumbled. Lupin laughed nervously.

"Um…you never asked?"

…

"OW!"

The wolf rubbed her sore calf and Bish went to sleep grinning at the prospect of being able to actually do something rather productive that night.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

LeJon was the one who came to wake the girls up.

"Come on, now. Cap'n says he wants you to help with the cooking, Misses."

At this, Bish blinked at him. "Excuse me? He wants me to do what?"

LeJon frowned and he spoke a little more quietly, eyeing the young men both as Ed shifted in his sleep, and Al mumbled something. "He wants you to help with the cooking. You remember where the galley is, right Miss Ana?"

Bish snorted and the dark-haired girl chuckled, as if LeJon had just told a hilarious joke. "I don't know what planet you think you're from, dude, but I am NOT chef-material. I make TOAST burn to an ugly black crisp and if Jack wants me to cook, that's fine, as long as he has burning ship insurance. Because I will guarantee, we will have to abandon ship before the sun is even up."

Lupin had to sympathize with LeJon, who only stared at Bish in a bewildered manner and now he had to go and relay the news that Bish was refusing orders from the Captain himself. He looked to the wolf, almost as if to confirm if it was true.

"Loopy knows what I'm talking about. She was at my house when I almost burned it down because I was trying to cook something. It took both her and my sister to put out the fire."

And Lupin nodded. "Well, it wasn't that big…"

"Pfft, you're a freak for fire, you dork, what're you talking about?"

"You whore, you're selling me out."

"You can suck Ed's cock for all I care."

Lupin blinked rapidly and turned her head to cough, chocking on her own laughter and embarrassment. _Oh, thank God Ed's not awake now, or he'd have a heart attack if he heard Bish say that…_

Bish, however, just smiled at LeJon and motioned him to go away. "Loopy will have to go by her lonesome, I can't cook. And if Jack has a problem with that, oh well. I'm sorry, but he can suck my nuts."

Still wearing that bewildered expression, LeJon left. Bish flopped down on her cot and looked at her friend, who was hiding her face, still in a state of shock but Lupin knew it was to be expected. It was the Bishquet and no one could control her or her Guatemalan rage. "You sold me out…" She whimpered. Bish shrugged.

"I can't cook hun. You're not as much of a hazard in the kitchen as I am and I will gladly, GLADLY admit that."

"I'm not a hazard…" Lupin sniffed.

"You burnt ramen. Who the fuck burns RAMEN, for God's sakes? It's a soup! What'd you do, forget to put water in?" Bish retaliated, squinting at her friend before she started rummaging for her glasses. She found them and slipped them on as Lupin paused in her answer.

"…No, I had actually forgotten I was cooking it until I had gone into the kitchen for a soda."

"Exactly my point; I would have, most likely, forgotten overnight and then the house would be burning at two in the morning. You go make some good food and I shall praise you."

"I'm not a pet, Goddammit."

"True, but you call yourself a wolf and people sometimes have wolves as pets." Bish replied wittily. At this Lupin paused before she pursed her lips, but nodded consentingly.

"…Touché."

"Exactly. Now go, slave, and make me some food. You can give Ed the scraps."

"And leave Al to starve? How cruel." Lupin chuckled jokingly and Bish wagged a finger, as if ashamed at how little Lupin thought ahead.

"Oh, I'll share with Al. And not just my food either…"

"Ah, ah, ah! I don't even want to go there, not this early. I can't even get a cup of coffee out here…"

Lupin finally tugged on her boots, as she had been doing throughout the conversation, but she had paused a few times to talk and after tying the last lace up and jerked on her trench coat, she sighed in a dramatic, overdone manner, her head hung as if she were heading for the gallows.

"Well, now I'm off to cook at like, five in the fucking morning, with no help at all…" Lupin paused for effect and Bish snorted.

"Nope, none at all and you have my deepest sympathies. Now, move it, bitch. If I'm up this early, I might as well have something to eat." Bish imitated Jack and made flailing hand motions at Lupin, who slapped at Bish's hands with her own hands in a playful manner as she got up and sighed, pushing back the curtain and slipping out quietly. Bish snuggled back into her cot, taking off her glasses and sighing in content.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**_Listen to the Rain_ is back online and ready to be read. :3 So, if any of you have been waiting for its return, now's the time to go check it out! Oh, and remember to review for this and _Listen_, too. XD Thanks, guys for being so patient! (Hugs and cookies for everyone)**


	7. Here and Now

**Chapter Six:  
Here and Now**

**Reviewers: **

**Captain Lt. RaIQ Boondock**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Kanika Meskhenet **

**Aryalynn**

**DESTROY-THE-HORMONES**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Sorry, guys, but _Listen_ won't be updated quite yet; I need to finish the next chapter and hopefully it'll be soon; it's more than halfway finished, so rejoice. I may get inspiration back, after my spiel (coughobsessioncough) with **_**Storm Hawks**_**. Anyway, enjoy the new UID chapter. :D **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Friends eventually forgive and come back together because people need people more than they need pride._  
**- Hugh Prather**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"A few spices…maybe a little more carrots, perhaps another potato and some more barley…um… Where is it? Dammit, it's so dark in here…shit."

Lupin mumbled to herself as she grunted and looked at the three barrels that contained salted meats, vegetables, fruits and grains. After digging around, Lupin decided to make some sort of stew—although she wasn't so sure herself what it would taste like; she didn't exactly have a recipe book with her and she was acting on memory of her aunt's stew recipe, but had to replace the beef with some salted meat that looked and smelled about as fresh as it would come—and had almost cut her finger whilst chopping up the potatoes.

Beforehand, Lupin had lit two lanterns, but even in that light, it was hard to see what she was doing and she had almost dropped one of the spice bags. But, now things were settling down and the large pot she had rummaged around for and filled with some newly stocked fresh water—the _Pearl_, the previous day, had stopped at an island with a small spring and restocked on fresh water—was simmering on the fire Lupin had to keep a constant eye on as it grumbled noisily from the greasy grate.

Now she was pulling out another carrot, inspecting it carefully and deemed it worthy to be cooked and poured a little water from a jug she had filled and cleaned it off. Of course, she doubted anyone else would do this, cleaning off the vegetables before cooking, but it was an old habit that her mom had taught her. But, cutting was terrible if the ship pitched too strongly; there was a risk of slicing a finger off.

After she was done, she dumped the carrot bits into the pot, took a ladle and stirred it, sniffed and frowned. "Yeah, some more spices…"

Lupin began rummaging for the spice bag she just put down when she heard someone sniffing loudly.

"Mmm, smells good over here."

She straightened up to see Ed weaving through two beams and he stared at the pot hungrily.

"Well, you can wait; I still got to put in a few more things." She bent over, finally found the damned spice bag and pouted, sticking her lip out a little. "God, I miss my house; making food the old fashioned way sucks balls…"

Lupin was tempted to see Ed's reaction to her comment, but resisted it and took out a pinch of rosemary and sprinkled it into the pot. She sniffed the contents after she stirred it. "Hmm…do you think garlic would make it taste a little better?"

"I dunno. It's food you're cooking; I thought you knew what you were doing."

"I haven't cooked this kind of stew in forever, pardon me. I don't have zucchini, I don't have a certain spice I WISH I had and I don't have sirloin beef. I'm substituting things here. God." Lupin snapped and she suddenly regretted for doing so. Ed fell silent for a few moments, eyes regarding her, but Lupin refused to meet his gaze, feeling bad enough as it was. _Ah, dammit to hell, I'm letting my temper get the best of me…_

"Okay, then, I'll just…leave you alone, then."

Lupin waited for his creaking steps to disappear before she let out the breathe she had been holding and put down the spice bag after tying it up, nice and tight so as to not lose any of the precious contents. But what she noticed was how Ed hadn't retaliated like she had expected him to. _Maybe he finally grew up a bit over these years._

It was a possibility. Hiromu Arakawa never wrote nor did she create anything after _Conqueror of Shamballa_, so it was anyone's guess what had happened after the attack on Amestris. She knew he was being secretive about it, and his life throughout Amestris, but she was holding out on the fact that he wasn't really real in her time; he was just a fictional character—paper for flesh and ink for blood—as was his brother, and she felt horribly sick inside for doing so. But, if it made up any credit, she was also holding out on Jack about him and everyone else affected within the _Pirates_ related world.

And Bish was more "educated" on Ed and Al's life, having spent weeknights watching the series that was aired on _Adult Swim_ on _Cartoon Network_ at night while she talked with Lupin of IM. Bish caught on fast and although _Yu Yu Hakusho_ was her one and true fanfiction love, Bish often commented on how she wanted to start her own _Fullmetal Alchemist_ fanfic, but had wanted to finish off a few incomplete stories before that happened. But, Bish still considered Lupin a freak for that specific anime—although, now current events having unfolded, she could no longer consider an anime—just as Bish was a freak for _Family Guy_ or _House_.

So, withdrawing from her thoughts, she began to add a few more things into the pot: two garlic buds that Lupin had found; two large potatoes; two more handfuls of barley; some more spices; and two more strips of salted meat. She had to consider it wasn't just a few people that were to be fed, but a whole crew of hungry, weary, seamen—pirates, she corrected herself—that would demand for food. It was thick and chunky, but had its fair share of broth and the stew was looking and smelling rather good when she heard the clunking of leather boots slapping against weathered wood coming her way.

Lupin sighed as she was met with hungry faces and hungry eyes, hands clasping metal bowls and the men who she was forced to sail with in close proximity, sniffed the air voraciously. She actually had to smile. They all were acting like hungry kids expecting Mom to feed them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Here, Cap'n wants to eat in his cabin; he's marking the charts of our travels right now."

Marty handed Lupin a rather nice dish and inspected it, viewing the small floral designs on it before nodding in understanding. "Okay, I'll take it to him."

At this, Marty nodded to her and Lupin filled his bowl and he immediately took a bite, eating at a speedy rate, saying in between mouthfuls as he left, "This…is really…good. Thanks."

Lupin blinked at the compliment and the manners he presented her before smiling and calling back, "You're welcome!"

Not that she had expected anyone to say thanks; she was actually rather surprised, although she didn't linger on the thought any longer. She ladled some stew into Jack's bowl, the stew steaming hot and she set it the lid to the pot on and as quickly, but as carefully as she could, Lupin somehow made it to Jack's quarters without spilling a drop of his breakfast. She held it carefully in one hand and rapped her knuckles on the doors.

A loud, clear, "Come on in, darlin'," gave her leverage to enter. She did so and slipped inside, carrying the hot bowl, closing the cabin doors behind her. Jack was overlooking his maps, muttering to himself before he waved a hand at her listlessly, not even bothering to look up.

"Just set it down, I'll get to it in a minute, luv."

"How'd you know it was me?" Lupin asked as she sat the bowl down, making sure she wasn't placing it on any of Jack's maps.

"I would look rather foolish if I didn't know, now wouldn't I?" He replied, glancing her way and Lupin laughed.

"True. I would wonder what Mr. Gibbs would look like if you called him 'darling'."

"Hmm…"

Lupin's lips twitched and she peered over at the maps, noting the intricate details and marks and notes on them. "Wonderin' where we are, eh?" A finger slid across one map that was yellowed with years of use and stopped in the middle of the Atlantic. "Right there, luv. We're almost halfway to Spain and we'll stop there for supplies an' t' restock on a few things. Maybe even get some live meat; sheep, maybe a goat or two…"

Lupin stared and with her eyes, measured and guessed the distance of where the _Pearl_ was and where she and Bish had been. She pointed just off the coast of Haiti.

"That's where Bish and I were, before we got hit by the hurricane."

Jack's eyes roved over and frowned. "But we picked ye both up around 'ere. There couldn't be any possible way yer boat, er, ship—,"

"Yacht," Lupin corrected him sternly.

"…Yacht, could 'ave made it all the way 'ere without crashin' or capsizin'. Most o' yer sheets were gone."

Lupin stared at where Jack's finger was pointed and she blinked. It was almost all the way out of the Caribbean, just bordering the Atlantic. No wonder the water had been so cold when she and Bish jumped in to get to Ed and Al…

"Well, I tied down the sheets, but they must have gotten torn off somehow…"

"Smart girl; yer dad must 'ave taught you well t' know that if ye left the sheets up, ye would've capsized. Lucky, you two are."

At this, Lupin found herself just nodding before she sighed and brushed some imaginary dust off of her jeans. "Okay, well, Cap'n, I'm going to go and make sure everyone else is served before I get to eating myself…"

"Why not wait and eat now? I'm sure yer hungry."

Lupin raised a brow. _Is he testing me?_ It certainly sounded like it to the wolf.

"In case you forgot, Captain Sparrow, everyone else gets to eat first before the cook does; its galley rule one."

At this Jack looked up and chuckled, grinning and Lupin saw the glint of gold teeth.

"Again, I ferget t' give you yer credit, Miss Hawkins. I'm not dealin' with any ordinary girl, now am I?"

Lupin could only stare incredulously at the man before she shook her head. "Whatever. I'm just going to make sure everyone eats, and no seconds until everyone else eats first, Jack. You may be Captain, but that does not mean you can't maintain the health of your crewmen. They eat fair and square, same as you," She said before adding, "Cook's rules."

After that was said, Lupin left Jack's cabin and he watched her go, staring at the door as it closed and then eyed the stew she had put on his table. He sniffed the air. It smelled good. "Now," He murmured to himself, "Where's me rum?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Dude, I love you. I seriously love you; this is good; really, really good."

Lupin rolled her eyes. "Not as good as your Mama's cooking."

Bish bobbed her head in agreement, taking a sip of her broth. "True, true, but Loopy, this is still pretty damn good."

"Thanks, hun. I appreciate the feedback." Lupin muttered and Bish frowned at her friend, noting the distant stare Lupin was portraying. She had barely touched her own stew and it called for concern on Bish's behalf. Ed hadn't joined them and Al had already eaten, so he had gone to sit with his brother, curious to his brother's isolated behavior.

"Lupin, is something the matter? You seem a bit down, hun."

Lupin inhaled deeply and let it out through her nose, setting her bowl down by her feet and Jack the Monkey suddenly appeared at her side, making soft simpering sounds. The wolf reached out a hand and let the monkey choose whether to leave it be or climb on. The monkey climbed on and crawled to her shoulder, wrapping its prehensile tail around her neck loosely.

"I dunno…I snapped earlier at Ed and I didn't mean to. I was just kinda frustrated on what to put into the stew and I kinda took it out on him. I feel bad."

She wriggled her fingers in front of the monkey and he squeaked, reaching out with his little furry fingers and gnawing gently on the tips as Lupin spoke. Bish watched the monkey and listened to Lupin, frowning still.

"Did he snap back at you? Cause if he did, I'll be happy to kick him in the nuts."

"Bish…"

"What? I'm just saying…"

Lupin had to laugh at her friend's attempts to pull her out of the rut and sighed, patting the undead monkey on the head. For some reason, he always ran either to her or to Bish for protection whenever they were in range if Jack wanted to shoot something. It was actually pretty comical how he had once hid in Bish's curly, frizzy hair, making such a racket and freaking Bish out. Lupin had to rescue her friend from the screeching creature. Lupin was surprised Bish still allowed the creature near her after that incident.

"No, he didn't snap or bite my head off, surprisingly. I would have felt better if he did because I'd be angry right now instead of bummed out. It's too early for this crap; I want coffee…"

"Then drop your testicles and go apologize to him; it's not like he can go anywhere, he can't exactly swim."

The monkey Jack jumped from Lupin's shoulders and scuttled across the deck. Lupin watched him go.

"I guess…" Eyeing her stew, Lupin brought it back into her lap and ate a few bites here and there until it was gone. "Hang on; I have to check to see if anyone wants seconds. I'll find him when…hey, where'd he go?"

Lupin stared around the deck and blinked. Where the hell was Ed?

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Ed?"

After about ten minutes of searching above decks and talking to Al, Lupin found Edward hanging out where the cannons were stored, ready to be used at a moment's notice. And just like every time she had to go and apologize to someone, she had been worked up and filled with a senseless reassurance and self-confidence, the words repeating over and over in her head like a well-prepared speech, but when she finally found the person of subject that she meant to speak to, all of that disappeared at a whim.

So, Lupin stood there, half in shadows and half in light, staring at the young man, feeling very awkward and very out of place. She was a twenty-first century young woman, sailing on eighteenth century pirate ship, and she had to remember that she wasn't the only stranger here; Bish, Edward and Alphonse were included in the category as well. Not everything revolved around her; she had to correct herself sternly.

Ed hadn't answered her call and she really wished she had been chewed out or yelled at or something else entirely instead of feeling guilty like this. It was her downfall, unfortunately; she always took certain situations a little too personally. He had his hands in his pants pockets, staring down the length of the cannon and then his gaze moved towards the open porthole as the blue-gray and tinge of green seawater passed the ship by, a few sheets of white clouds or blue skies visible every once in a while.

"Edward?"

Ed blinked and looked at her for the first time. "Hmm? Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there. I was just, ah, thinking."

Lupin was slightly taken aback at that when he gave her a soft smile, as if earlier had never happened.

"Umm…"

"Is there something wrong?"

"I…I uh… I wanted to apologize for earlier this morning. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just got a little frustrated. I didn't have much sleep and to be woken up at like, five in the morning? Not fun." Lupin finally said, finally lowering her gaze. _God, I feel so goddamned pathetic. Baka onna._ _BAKA!_

"Eh, don't worry about it too much, Lupin. I didn't get on your case cause it did seem a little early for you."

"Oh," Lupin blinked. "Is that all? I thought you were gonna bite my head off or something about it."

He shook his head and sighed, and it was at that moment Lupin realized how tired he really looked. Some of the other crewmates—Hooknose, Harper and Leech—were taking him and Al up aloft to learn how to tie down sails and whatever else they were doing up there. But, not only did he seem tired, but at the same time, he looked restless; like a caged up animal not given enough freedom and all he could do was pace in the confined cage, waiting for the opportune moment to break free and get some well needed exercise.

It had grown a little quiet except for a shout from above, but Lupin didn't understand the muffled speech. She didn't strain herself to. She sighed, thinking of something to break the cone of silence. "You seem to keep a lot to yourself."

He regarded her and she saw him raise his guard up. She normally didn't push the matter; mostly because she already knew, for one, and for another, she didn't know when it would have been a good time to tell him that she already knew. It was mostly out of fear of his reaction. And the way he stared at her with such suspicion didn't help much. _I shouldn't have said anything… You really are a heartless bitch, aren't you, Lupin? _

"You seem to do the same." Ed finally replied, his words chosen with care. Lupin pursed her lips.

"Yeah, well…I think it's very fair that if you're refusing to talk about anything, then why should I?" She answered. Even in the dark, Lupin saw that his eyes were brighter than anything in here. Or was it just her imagination? Ed pursed his lips, almost as if he wanted to snap harshly at her, but he held back and shook his head instead.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. You'd think I'm crazy."

"And how would you know that, huh? You don't know me, so don't stand there and lump me with a normal person. I might understand, but you just _assume_ I'll call you crazy. You don't personally _know_." _Oh, that's great, Loopy. You are such a hard ass, pushing this so far like you are. _

Ed opened his mouth and closed it, staring at her shock. Then he scowled.

"You're really certifiable, you know that?"

"Oh, ho, right, sure, I'M certifiable, Mr. I-Refuse-to-Confide-in-Anyone-But-Me-Myself-and-I. You got a real attitude problem when it comes to people."

His scowl deepened and he glared at her. "I HAVE my reasons for keeping what I know, secret, from everyone else. It's none of your damn business, so quit pushing it!"

Lupin let out the breath she had been holding with a faint shudder, staring at Ed calmly, and feeling hurt. _Why am I even pushing it? _

"It's okay to trust people sometimes, Edward. It's not like I'm going to do something drastic if the truth is so bad that you feel the need to bottle it up to the point of self-mutilation." Lupin finally said quietly before she turned without another word and disappeared into the deeper confines of the ship, leaving Ed by his lonesome, standing besides the cannon, still bristled at their heated argument.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish hissed and sucked on her finger that she had just pricked for the fourth time, glaring at the frayed fabric laying oh so innocently in her lap, a soft breeze tugging at it. She had an urge to let it go and flutter away from her and to drop the needle and thread she was still holding. But, right now, she was forced to do her part of labor that Jack was making her assume if she were to stay on the ship. But…Lupin had told her when she came back from Jack's cabin earlier that morning as she ladled some stew into her bowl that they would be stopping in Spain to restock on supplies.

That alone was her reason for working her part and she looked over at Gibbs with pleading eyes for help and he met her gaze, and frowned.

"It's a little haphazard, there, Miss Ana. Here, it goes more like this…"

Jack had some men take down two of the upper sails about half an hour ago and now everyone was stitching some spare material onto the sheets and it now looked like an odd patchwork. Jack himself was walking around the spread out sails, nodding every once in a while before he ambled around Bish and stopped, staring at her work.

He watched her for a few minutes before he finally stooped over and plucked the needle from her hands and with surprising steadiness and accuracy; he began to stitch the sail and the spare sheet together.

"You 'ave t' be quick, sufficient when workin' with these things, Miss Ana. Please try t' keep up, luv, yer very far behind." He said, fingers working nimbly as he spoke, as if they had never flailed or danced in the air with flurry actions before. Finally he handed the needle back to Bishquet and she stared at his small stitch work, dumbfounded, and he sauntered away, humming something that sounded oddly familiar. She didn't even have a chance to say something to him before he was out of range.

It had grown very quiet and Bish blinked, looking over to see the crew staring at her oddly. She narrowed her eyes. "What're you looking at?"

They ducked their heads, all except for Leech and another man, Harper, who simply looked at her like she was insignificant, like she had no place being there at all. She sniffed pointedly and continued to glare at them challengingly, daring them to say something to her. Finally the two ducked down their own heads and returned to their own work and after a few moments, Bish finally returned to herself. Lupin sat next to her, and Bish noticed how quietly Lupin had been simmering with hidden anger ever since she came back up from below decks.

It was only safe to assume something went down and it wasn't just an apology. Bish, however, hadn't pressed the issue and left her friend alone after she first initially asked. She knew it wasn't the right time for Lupin to talk; she wanted to cool down first. Al was sitting on the other side of Gibbs, Ed next to Al. He had been unnaturally quiet as well, but in a similar state as Lupin, Bish noticed. Again, she chose not to push the matter, knowing Lupin personally wouldn't budge or talk, and Ed, well… She didn't want to go there.

Bish glanced at Lupin and paused, patting her friend on the shoulder gently before picking back the needle up, worked on a few more, then looked down the line to see Ed staring at the needle in his hands with a look bordering fear and disgust. Bish snorted back a laugh and nudged Lupin with her elbow. The wolf snapped her head up at the contact and looked Bish's way with aggravation, but curiosity lined her eyes.

"What?"

"Look over there. I think Ed is having needle-phobia right now. He's barely done anything."

Lupin followed Bish's gaze and her face was set with a blank look, but Bish saw the laughter in her friend's eyes and the faint twitch at the corner of the wolf's lips. Bish looked away from Ed and found Al had done plenty more than Ed. He was a fast learning, but Ed was just being stubborn. It was all very amusing. Bish looked back down at her own work and compared it to Jack's for a moment.

"Damn… He does a good job." She mumbled to herself and while using his as an example, she tried to make her stitching as close resembling as possible.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	8. Homesick

**Chapter Seven:  
****Homesick**

**Reviewers: **

**Makayla**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Singer La Chanteuse **

**Captain Lt. RaIQ Boondock**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone who gets this! Even if this message is belated beyond belief. XD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Don't you realize that the sea is a home of water? All water is off on a journey unless it is in the sea, and it's homesick, and bound to make its way home someday.  
_**- Zora Neale Hurston **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

A week had passed since Ed and Lupin's fight and both had been unwilling to either back down or apologize. They simply avoided each other; which proved a little difficult given their limited space on the _Black Pearl_. Lupin told Bish of the whole thing, naturally, and Bish had listened. The wolf had been glad her friend was there; she would have felt so shut out and cut off if Bish hadn't been there. It was a relief to have a friend, some homely comfort with her, even though Bish too, was feeling the same strange nauseating distress for home herself, just as the wolf was.

Lupin tried to constantly remind herself of this fact and to not act so selfish. One of the few things she actually lost herself in were the stories everyone told. The men would gather during dinner, bottles of rum in their hands and grins on their faces, relaying their own tall tales, some Lupin found outrageously unbelievable.

It turned out LeJon had a large shark bite on his right thigh from where a Tiger shark had attacked him and he considered himself lucky to have survived. Apparently, he had stabbed the shark in the eye and it had let go of him before it did any real damage; that was why he had a light gimp to his pace. He had managed to excavate a tooth from his wound and had strung it up on a necklace and brought it out after he finished his tale.

Gibbs told some of the men about the days he was still in the British Navy, when Commodore Norrington—who, back then had been known as Lieutenant Norrington—had rescued William Turner from a horrible shipwreck, going into details how the flames licked at the wood in greedy proportions. He had blamed pirates. It was true; it had been Barbossa, when he had been in command of the _Black Pearl_, Lupin reminded herself.

But now the ironic thing was, was that Joshamee Gibbs was a pirate now, an outlaw in the eyes of the men who uphold the law; men he once worked for. Lupin was more wary of the Company, and when she had spoken to Bish about it once, she was too.

"I don't care who he is, I'll kick Beckett in the nuts if he tries anything with us, I swear to God I will." Lupin laughed at her friend's threat, with no doubt in her mind, she knew Bish would follow up with it.

This night, however, Lupin was feeling scarce and she wasn't as drawn to the social niceties that Bish was having. Giving the excuse that she was tired to Bish, Lupin got up and with a few stumbles along the way as she made her way to the cubby in the ship, she managed to not bang herself up too badly.

Crawling to her cot— which had been relocated to the other side of the cubby, while Bish slept next to her and Al next to Ed—the wolf sighed in aggravation, wanting to put light into the small area. She got up and within a minute had a light within the lantern and she hung it back on the nail, ignoring its creaking as it swayed above her.

Then she turned around and sitting on her knees, dragged out her book bag, dry and smelling strongly of saltwater, she pulled out her portfolio; safe from sun and water exposure. Lupin began flipping through the pictures, slowly, sometimes critiquing herself on certain things that she should have done to this or that. After a while, Lupin got sick of looking at her own art and shoved the last picture away, stored the portfolio back into her bag and stuffed it into the small niche above her head.

Lupin finally curled up and pulled her jacket over her and laid awake, holding back the wretched sobs that threatened to consume her. She wanted to go home.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Dude, what's the matter with you? You're acting like a sick dog or something. Are you getting seasick?"

"No. I rarely even get motion sickness except if I eat Fruit Loops or something. I dunno. Just…a little down right now, I guess. I don't want to be on a ship anymore, I want dry land…"

Bish sighed and wrapped an arm around Lupin's shoulders, rubbing them and giving the wolf a reassuring squeeze. "You and me both, hun. I'm tired of feeling like I'm gonna hurl if it gets really choppy."

Lupin let out a long breath and sucked in another breath, shivering in the cold air. It was around ten in the morning, she guessed, but mist still clung to the ocean like a spider stuck to its web, but it definitely looked clearer than around five in the morning. Apparently, Lupin was now the cook under Jack's orders, and Bish still hadn't really been given a real job, although she sometimes helped out with either mopping the deck or holding the helm when whomever was guiding the _Pearl_ along. She was rather good at driving the ship.

"You may drive the ship, but you don't own it." Lupin once commented.

"Yeah, well, I've got road rage, whether I drive a boat or a car, and I am not afraid to use it. I will beat whatever motherfucker comes along and blow their asses out of the fucking water, I swear to God."

…

…

…

Lupin found Bish's comment amusing to the highest degree and agreed.

"Okay, but seriously. There is something really wrong with you. You're acting like some depressed…thing! I'm tired of it!"

Lupin scoffed. "I am NOT depressed! Okay, well, I am, but it's not—,"

"Ah, see, you are depressed, AND I bet it's not about home, either. You're upset about the fight you got in with Ed, aren't you?"

"No, I am…okay, maybe a little, but—,"

"You're angry with him."

"I'm angry AT him," Lupin corrected and Bish only shrugged.

"Same difference; the point is, you're ANGRY. With or at, either one, it's directed TOWARDS Edward, and if you want my advice, I say, if it's broken, you should fix it. He may be acting like an ass…well, you are too…but that's beside the point. If you at least try to apologize, it PROVES that you're at least trying and he can't complain later that you didn't if you try right now. He can't hold that against you if you don't give him that opportunity."

Lupin avoided her friend's gaze and instead transferred it to stare out at the passing ocean. "I don't like people picking my brain."

"I'm not picking your brain, dear; I'm giving you helpful advice. If you don't want it, that's fine, but don't come crying to me when you've waited too long to try and mend things with that idiot and it'll be too late. He might just jump ship when we hit Spain and try to find his own way back. And knowing Al right now, he'll go too. Oh, God, I can't wait to see Spain in all its ancient gloriousness… Mmm…it'll be delicious." Bishquet bubbled with laughter at the prospect of seeing Spain any archaeologist would kill to see.

She continued to giggle and after she went on about the aspects that she had read about Spain's history, including this century. Lupin was glad to have the subject about her and Ed dropped, finding the new topic much more interesting than having her brain being picked.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Ship, ahoy! White sails on the horizon to the portside!"

Al shielded his eyes from the sun and looked high up to where LeJon stood upon the crow's nest, the highest platform on the _Pearl_ among the masts and faintly, he saw the thin stick that was the man's arm pointing somewhere off to the portside. Following the pointed limb down to the blue waters with his eyes, his amber-gray gaze searched for the sheets of white that were said to be upon the horizon. It didn't take long.

There, just a pinprick sitting upon the waters afar was a white ship, no smaller than his thumbnail at best. Men were hurrying over, excitement in their voices and glee in their shivering limbs and restlessness in their eyes. But it all vanished with one voice shouting to them.

"Leave 'er lie! Let 'er sail on!"

Dumbfounded and shocked faces swiveled in the direction of their captain, who merely stood at the helm, holding his rightful place whilst Cotton, who had been the one keeping the _Pearl_ on her steady course, shuffled away. His parrot screeched and flapped its wings when Cotton transferred it from his shoulder to his hand, "Leave her lie! Leave her lie!"

Alphonse noticed the discordance and anger flash through some of the men's faces—more so Leech, Hooknose, and Harper—but they grumbled their remarks under their breaths, some of them cursing for not being able to pillage like they had agreed to when they signed Jack's logbook.

"We can take her if we strike now!" Leech growled out. Al took a step forward and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when Jack spoke once again.

"Aye, we could take 'er if we wanted, but we're not 'ere t' dawdle over a ship such as that. It's not riding very low in the water, an' it wouldn't be worth the trouble."

"And how do you know it's not low in the water? We aren't close enough to make that assumption."

Jack stared pointedly at the caller. "Mr. Leech… Pray tell, what do ye think I used t' view over such a long distance that I would be able t' come t' such an accurate conclusion, hm?"

Al blinked and stared as all the grumbling men stopped and stared at Jack, boggled at such a question. Some of the men looked to Leech for the answer, but it looked like Leech himself was trying to figure that out. Jack finally sighed up on the quarterdeck and inconspicuously pulled out his scope, undid it and pointed its glassy end to view the ship out on the horizon. Leech stared.

"The…spyglass?" He finally answered. Jack snapped the scope shut quickly and repositioned it back to its original place.

"Very good... An' what I see is a high-riding merchant ship, makin' its lovely li'l way back towards England. Most likely t' restock on supplies it just discarded in the Caribbean. It would not be a ship worth overtaking if it were not full o' nice shiny, expensive things fer us t' take, now would it?"

Leech remained silent, but his eyes seethed. Jack took his silence as an answer. "Leave 'er lie; we move on."

It was true what he said about the ship not riding low in the water, the hulls not bursting with riches for the piratical men to take; but what he failed to let them know was that that particular ship was raised with an East India Trading Company flag. Jack's lips twitched as he watched the ship move on in the distance as silently as they did. Neither took notice of each other's existence until the white-sheeted ship disappeared beyond the waves and the _Black Pearl_ sailed on. Only half of the crew had kept an eye on the ship with hungry, vengeful eyes.

Alphonse had witnessed this and saw a tinge of the darker side of these pirates. He did not want to be caught on the wrong side of their temper, he would admit that; but what he would not admit, was what would happen if they ever tried anything to take out their anger and they might happen across him. But, he had a scant of an idea of what could happen and a small smile traced his lips. These men obviously were not taking into account that he was not as quiet and defenseless as they most obviously were led to believe.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Spain was drawing nearer, and everyone on the ship was restless; ready for land, ready for fresh alcohol, but most of all…they wanted a wench to bed with. Well…almost everyone. Lupin and Bish were content to just feel dry land beneath their feet, be dry for a few hours at a time, and perhaps even go and view the local scenery. Bish was particularly excited about that. Edward and Alphonse, they did not know what they were going to do. Lupin and Edward still hadn't made up, and Bishquet was feeling a little nervous at Lupin's insecurity, her stubbornness and her pride, her friend's pride especially.

Lupin's pride was an obstinate thing, Bish knew; but the Hispanic woman could be just as bullheaded with her own nature. Even more than Lupin was being, even, to the point of the natural whim of shutting out all emotion and becoming a stony slate to the world, something Lupin admired about her friend dearly. And she knew she would not be able to enjoy Spain the way she desired if her friend continued to sulk and pout like she did; and obviously, even if she didn't spend as much time with him like she wished she could, but Bish did not want to see Alphonse go, just as Lupin would not like to see Edward go—although at the moment, her pride would not allow herself to admit it.

But, she digressed about her situation: she needed them to make up again so that she could enjoy her trip to Spain; however brief, however short, she wanted to savor every moment of it without sucking in the sour mood her friend would no doubt emit. So, she had earlier requested Al to meet her in the forecastle so that they could talk.

Now she was sitting on someone's hammock, swinging her legs over the edge, toes barely touching the wooden floorboards when she heard her name—well, nickname, really.

"Bish?"

She looked up and smiled when she saw Al coming, alone, as she had requested. And she had to admit; he looked rather adorable with sweat on his brow and his open torso on display…

"You wanted to see me about something?" He paused before adding, "About how we can get my brother out of his bad mood?"

At this, Bish nodded and glanced at the ceiling before her gaze flickered back to Alphonse and she stood up. "Yeah. I know the problem, but I'm trying to find a solution. It's annoying, it's pissing me off and I want to enjoy Spain without having to drag a sulking wolf behind me all the way."

"You mean Lupin."

She nodded. "Yeah." Then she paused for a moment before she asked, "He didn't tell you what happened, did he?"

Al looked surprised by the question before he calmed and nodded his head. "Okay, well, we got to figure out how to get our ever so loving siblings to drop their testicles and apologize. And don't look at me like that, Lupin's as close to family as my friend Amber, only…not. I've known Amber longer, yes, but Loopy's like one of the _other_ many weird ass sisters I have in my life."

He only nodded, seeming to understand the situation at hand. "Do you have any idea how to get them to do that?"

Bish opened her mouth and then closed it, then shook her head.

"…No, but I'm sure we'll come up with something together…"

A small ring of silence filled the space between them before Bish spoke again, quieter this time. "Are you…are you two going to leave when we reach Spain? When we go to shore?"

Al didn't answer, but his brows knit just slightly enough for Bish to decipher what that action meant. She frowned, her brows creasing themselves to match Al's look of worry. Ed must have spoken to Al about leaving, many times over the days after his and Lupin's fight. Not to mention, Bish remembered how against the young man was with sailing alongside pirates, being at risk of hanging if they were caught and of course, just being on the wrong side of the law, entirely.

"Maybe…maybe if we get them to apologize, your brother won't want to leave. I mean…I know you guys are…probably restless—uncomfortable, really—to be sailing with pirates. But..." Bish paused again, thinking back to Lupin's warning after she had figured that they were heading straight for the plot of _Dead Man's Chest_.

"_I'm sure you already know this, but I just…want to repeat it. We can't let anyone know that we know what's going to happen, and especially that we know about Ed and Al. I just…don't want them to feel so…betrayed because we'd be lying to them by keeping this secret from them, you know?"_

_Maybe we should try to get away from this ship; it's just gonna sink and attacked by the Kraken, but…Lupin would never leave and I can't go anywhere by myself. Shit._

"But I really don't want to see you guys leave. It would be better if we stuck together. You know; strangers in a strange land…or time period." She tried to smile but it felt strained, forced. Her lips suddenly felt like the action was a foreign word it couldn't pronounce, and she finally gave up, allowing that sigh she had built up to bypass her lips.

Alphonse shifted from one foot to the other, and he nodded, agreeing in silence. "I know how you feel, Bish. To be honest…I don't want to go either. I mean…I know it'll be dangerous, sailing with outlaws, but for some reason, I have this feeling that everything will turn all right, that we'll get home, somehow. I don't really know how to explain it, but I just do."

Bish found herself nodding. _Ever the optimist, aren't you, Al?_ She would admit, she was not as big a _Pirates_ fan she was as Lupin was—she had only seen _Dead Man's Chest _a handful of times since its release in 2006 and the same went for _At World's End_ in 2007—but she followed the plot rather well herself. She just didn't delve into it with such a hardcore passion as Lupin would, but she did think highly of that sexy beast, Orlando Bloom. But, she knew what Jack had been talking about when he said he had a certain 'friend' who might have been able to help them: Tia Dalma, the sea goddess Calypso bound in a human form.

"I guess I can understand. I think I have a really strong feeling that we'll be able to go home, too."

He smiled, feeling relief that his feeling was mutual.

"But, we still need to figure out how to get our bone-headed siblings to apologize, right?"

"Right."

"Okay. So, let's put our heads together and start putting some brain power behind it."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Again, Lupin found herself looking at her art. She didn't know why she had sudden urges to view her art; she rarely ever did when she was home. But, here she was, holed up in the cubby, looking at her art by the pale light of the lantern's flame. Maybe she was feeling these artistic art-viewing urges because she was pent up with frustration of not being able to look at other people's art. She wanted to turn on her computer, no doubt, but that would risk exposure of technology some of the men on this ship would not understand and would most likely fear. Jack maybe wouldn't care, he believed her and Bish and the other two about their stories, most likely because he's seen some pretty unbelievable stuff himself over time.

But, all the same, she resisted her wants to turn that sucker on and just know that even if it was a sliver, a trickle, she was still connected somehow to her century, her time, and her world. It was hard to resist the temptation, but Lupin had so far done a decent job, although she lost track of how long it had been since she and Bish had come aboard the _Black Pearl_, when the hurricane first started, when she had left California with Bish from the LAX Airport and had last seen her parents, her siblings…

Lupin wiped vigorously at her eyes, discarding any traces of the hot tears that had welled up at the corners of her eyes. She envied Bish. Her friend could harden herself emotionally, mentally, against outside influences. Lupin couldn't; she lost control and sometimes got overpowered by her own emotional drive. Her chest ached as she tried to level out her breathing, mentally repeating a manta over and over again in her head: _I will not cry; I don't need to… I will not cry; I don't need to…_

Sniffling, the wolf shuddered and returned her gaze back down to some old art pieces she had done in 2006 and 2007, almost laughing at her own anatomy mistakes here and there with both humanoid figures and animal figures. But, one piece in particular caught her eye and she pushed back the smooth finished cardstock papers into the portfolio and tugged out the photocopy of an art piece she had done; her first watercolor painting.

And, even after all this time, out of all her paintings, she still treasured this one above all.

It was a fire, with tree silhouettes scattered in the background and a single birch tree standing alone in the foreground, untouched, unaffected by the fire's rage. Sharp contrasts of dark rusty orange and poppy red sprung out where it could against the dark trees, along with the wickedly bright tongue of canary yellow shooting up, with pale wisps of smoky gray willowing about here and there among the silhouettes, low growing shrubbery sprouting up along the bottom edge of the painting.

Lupin followed the brushstrokes with her eyes. She had wanted her own copy of the painting, seeing as her grandmother loved the original and had begged for it. Lupin had agreed, much to the disgruntlement of her mother, but after a while, Lupin wanted her own copy; not as big as the original, but smaller, about the size of her cardstock art papers; easier to carry around and transport. Now she carried a smaller copy of her painting, one of her few pride and joys in the world of art.

All the reminiscing made her thoughts whirl around and trace back to her grandmother. Another welling of the tears came, but Lupin held herself back and allowed the few streaks to fall silently down her face and she wiped them away quietly before setting the picture down and laying down her cot, the portfolio pressed against her chest. She missed home and it was hard to not break down and just…quit.

And, knowing what was coming, she felt a little alone on that branch of knowledge. It scared her that Davy Jones would be coming soon; the Kraken would attack; the East India Trading Company would be in complete control soon… So many events would happen but she just couldn't force herself to come to the conclusion of leaving. It was out of the question.

Two years ago, she would have given up anything, anything, to be here, on this ship, let this world be real and she could be there when the events happened. But now that she was here, and the events WOULD be happening, quite soon, she felt that little voice of regret worm its way into her mind and she shut it out before it could get a word in. She was older now; wiser, smarter, but still a tinge on the insane side. Although…her common sense ruled out her urge to be 'suicidal beyond belief'. But, now that she, Bish, Ed and Al were here…how would the story change here?

Lupin's thoughts were interrupted when someone abruptly pulled the curtain back and she tilted her head only slightly to view whom it was within the candle's light. Ed.

He blinked in surprise, his only reaction to Lupin's presence.

"What do you want?" She grumbled at him and he pursed his lips, giving her a mild glare.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm grabbing my coat because it's getting cold outside. You got a problem with that?" He growled. Lupin was silent and she only stared with those stormy blue-gray eyes. He took that as her answer and stooped over his own cot, rummaging for his duster. Lupin sat up and ruffled up her hair, which was loose for the first time in a long while. Ignoring Ed, she began to gather some other pictures she hadn't bothered to put away and stuffed them back into the portfolio.

Ed jerked on his duster and shrugged his shoulders into it, glancing at the pictures in the candlelight briefly. He saw the fire painting nestled next to Lupin's knee, having yet to be put back. Lupin didn't seem to notice his gaze.

"You're a pretty good artist…" He mumbled. The wolf paused in her cleaning and looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"…Thanks." It was the first civil word he had heard from her in a while.

"You're welcome." He replied before adding, "I probably couldn't do that. I mean…painting something like that. I used to draw rockets a lot a few years back, though."

She paused again and finally met his gaze. Her eyes studied his for a few moments before she seemed to notice what he was talking about and looked down at the painting she had pressed against her leg. "Oh. What, were you a rocket scientist or some shit like that?"

Ed chuckled a little, finding the faint trace of humor lining her voice and the light twitch of her lip, however faint it was. "You could say something like that, yeah."

Lupin picked up the paper and looked it over before handing it to Ed. "Here. Look all you like, I'm done."

He was surprised, to say in the least when the wolf pushed the paper into his hand and he realized it wasn't the original; it was a colored copy. He had to marvel at it; it was rare to be able to make a perfect copy in the late 1920's; everything was black and white photos and films. He squinted.

"Is this a photograph? It's so…clear, so perfect."

Lupin shook her head. "No. It's a photocopy."

"Photocopy?" His questioning gaze flitted over to the wolf. She sighed.

"A photocopy machine makes a perfect double of an original document, art piece or whatever that you want to make. Well, paper-wise anyways. I dunno how to explain it; I'm not really an expert. I just went to a place called Kinko's and they did all the work for me. I didn't really make the copy. My grandma has the original and it's a lot bigger than that."

"Oh…it's…it's still pretty good…for a copy, that is. When'd you make it?" He handed her back the paper and she took it and gently placed it into the portfolio, with care.

"About…three or four years ago. It was a long time ago, back when I was in high school. It was, uh, my first watercolor painting. God I feel old, saying that…" She answered before her lip pushed out a little, pouting and her brows knit together.

Ed had to laugh at that. "You? Old? You don't look nineteen. You look fourteen or fifteen to me."

She chuckled. Oh yes, she got that kind of comment all the time, same as her mother and her aunt.

"Yeah, well…you look pretty young yourself. You don't look twenty…"

"Twenty-one. Al's twenty." Ed corrected her. Lupin made a soft "Oh", with her lips and nodded. _That's right…he's two years older than me. I had almost forgotten._

"Hmm…"

At this point and this far into the conversation, Lupin realized that she was actually conversing with Ed. It was odd, seeing as she was supposed to be mad at him, but at the moment, she couldn't grab onto that just reason to be angry with Edward. It just seemed to elude her. Lupin fell silent for a few moments, fiddling with the portfolio before she finally tied it, strapped it and otherwise, locked it up and shoved it into her oversized book bag, locked that up and repositioned it to sit just above her head when she slept.

Picking at her jacket, she nibbled on her lip before sighing. "Look, I'm…I'm gonna go to bed. I'm tired and to me, it feels late."

"Oh…ah, okay…Well, uh, goodnight. Try to get some good sleep." He thought back to the few nights he's woken up to the wolf whining in her sleep, as if something were hurting her. Ed wasn't really sure if she was aware she did so or not. But, he didn't notice the look of surprise from her when she lingered and met his gaze for a little while longer than she normally had done for the past week or so.

"I, uh, I will. Thanks."

When he finally left Lupin's eyes lingered on the curtain, almost half-expecting Ed to come back, and she mentally berated herself for thinking like that. _What're you trying to do, huh, girl? Be like some infatuated idiot? You're not a kid anymore, so stop thinking or acting like one!_

But, she couldn't help but wish for herself to be a little different, to just swallow her pride and apologize like any normal person would when they know they've done or said wrong.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	9. Turning the Wheel

**Chapter Eight:  
Turning the Wheel**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Captain Lt. RaIQ Boondock**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Also, for those who want more info on the Bermuda Triangle, go to this article (it may not exist for a while, though): **

**science (DOT) howstuffworks (DOT) com/ bermuda-triangle (DOT) htm**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.  
_**- R.W. Emerson**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They were almost to Spain; about five days' sail away, Jack had declared. Men were restless; oh yes, they loved the sea, loved it indeed, but they also loved a good night out for drinking and for wenching. It was too much of a testosterone filled ship and the girls only added more to the tension by acting more so like men than proper ladies. But, the restlessness was there, in both the pirates and in the people sailing with them, but weren't really pirates.

"You know, if I had a proper pole, we could have some fish tonight. I mean, I've got some pretty fresh lemons with us; I could whip something nice up… I couldn't get to my fishing pole on the _Black Jack_, I'm so mad. Scott got that for my birthday."

Lupin was musing on what to make for dinner while Bish made a huff, sloshing a smelly mop into a bucket with grimy looking water. She made a face at it before looking to her friend and sighing, sitting next to her on a barrel, leaving the mop to flop listlessly out of the bucket. "Hun, you're taking this too seriously. Just make something nice and quick; we'll be in Spain! Think about it! Spain!"

"You're obsessed, you know that?"

"And proud of it, so shut the fuck up while I daydream."

Lupin had to stifle her laughter and she patted her friend on the back before she jumped off of the barrel she had been perched upon. "I'm gonna go and uh, see if anyone wants to help finish off the rest of lunch. I'm still a little hungry m'self."

Bish nodded at her friend just as something shot out from behind her and darted towards Lupin with a screech. The dark-haired girl flinched. Lupin stopped in time for Jack the Monkey to jump up onto her shoulder. The wolf grinned.

"Hey bubba, how are you doing, huh, huh?" She heard her friend coo. Bish shuddered.

"Fucking monkey…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish wasn't sure if Ed and Lupin were fighting any longer. They seemed to be on a lower level on the tension scale, but it seemed to be more on a wary level. Almost like they weren't sure themselves, but pretended they did. Lupin complained less, but even the wolf rarely complained except for major issues. Ed seemed to become a little more social now, and with that, Al had come back, elating the Hispanic woman to no end at his company once more. It seemed the only thing that kept the elder Elric from going completely bonkers was his younger brother; his only comfort, his only sense of reality.

Bish could understand; Lupin was her outlet, her comfort zone and she knew the wolf thought the same for her.

Now, however, her only comfort of mind was going to Spain. Three hundred years, into the past, to visit pre-modern Spain… It would be a delicious trip. But, she first had to help Lupin restock on the galley supplies and act as translator, the wolf being at her mercy later on. Although she knew little of the country, she felt excitement churn through her veins, pumping more energy and adrenaline into her than she knew what to do with it; it made her very giddy to think that she would not only learn, but live Spain, three hundred years prior to her generation. It was delicious to think about.

But, of course, she had to wait; wait for the _Pearl_ to make port; wait for all the doodads and the thingamabobs to get done and then other stuff she couldn't remember or care less about. She hadn't cared to learn and most obviously, wouldn't. It wasn't like she was going to be asked to go aloft and to tie down the sails like everyone else and how Lupin wished she could. But, due to safety issues, Jack had so far not allowed her to go aloft…at least, not yet.

Lupin was persistent, bullheaded, and sooner or later, she'd go up by herself, most likely. And Bish would have to laugh at her friend's boldness. She would be proud at her reckless behavior, but also worried that her friend would fall and break her neck or some shit like that.

Bish's mind continued to wander, some thoughts reckless and violent, others calm and soothing, and a few whimsical, alluring. It was amazing what the mind would do when it was just allowed to function without force and Bish merely took to the passenger seat, thinking of random and not-so-random subjects; whatever ones that came to mind.

Finally, after a period of silence on her part, no one to bother her, not even Lupin, Bish finally conceded to pull herself out of the depths of her conscience and realized how much time had passed since Lupin first spoke to her about dinner. Suddenly hungry, Bish found herself stalking down to the galley below decks and searched Lupin out. She was met, however, with the scent of some sort of spicy aroma filling the air as she drifted closer to the galley.

And the sight she saw was strange all in itself. Lupin was darting around the small, enclosed space, over the pot that hovered on top of the hearth in the grill, stirring and ladling the food inside. But that wasn't what caught her by surprise. Ed was helping and Al as well. Bish had to blink at the strange sight.

Al noticed her first and flashed her that winning smile that made her smile back in spite of her shock. He had a crate in his arms and he slowly settled it down, carefully before brushing his hands off, turning to Lupin's back. "You wanted it right here, right?"

Lupin glanced over her shoulder at Al, then to the crate with its unnamed, mysterious contents and she nodded vigorously with a thankful smile playing on her lips. "Yes, thank you, Alphonse. That's perfect. Ed, did you finish cutting those, ah, carrots yet?"

"Uh, almost. Here, I got these done."

A worn old wooden block that Lupin had been using as a cutting board for the past few weeks was handed to her and Lupin plopped in the vegetable bits, avoiding being splashed by the scalding liquid inside. "Mm, thanks."

"Yeah, sure." Ed nodded.

Finally Bish found the objective to make herself known. "What the hell is this?"

Finally, Lupin and Edward noticed she was there and Lupin blinked. "What?"

"I thought you two were mad at each other." Bish blurted out bluntly, the first thing that had come out of her mouth besides her odd greeting.

Lupin and Edward exchanged glances and Alphonse chuckled under his breath, remaining in the shadows for this conversation. Lupin spoke first.

"Oh, yeah, off-handed apologies."

"What d'ya mean, 'off-handed apologies?" Ed asked with his brow furrowed at her. Lupin shrugged, her lips quirked in that funny way Bish found amusing.

"I dunno, we never said 'sorry' directly to one another. Maybe that's why I called it 'off-handed'." She paused and continued to stir, holding up her hand and waving it at Ed as he opened his mouth to argue. "Ah, ah, ah! I don't want to fight anymore; I don't like it and I'm hoping you don't either."

She then whined, a look of anxiety in her eyes and body language and cocked her head to the side, listening. Ed hadn't finished cutting the other carrots Lupin had asked for. "Oh, man, I can't believe I spaced and forgot to start dinner! I want to get this done before the six bells come…"

"Six bells?' Bish asked.

"It signals seven o'clock. I'm just that smart to know." Lupin answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Al had come to stand by Bish and she hadn't noticed until now. She almost jumped more in surprise than fright, but calmed down the second she saw him.

"You cheated; you asked Gibbs." Ed pointed out as he began to chop up the carrots once more. Al chuckled again.

"They've been like this all throughout making dinner. I don't know what happened, but they've made up somehow." He whispered to Bish. "I'm really glad, too. I don't like to see my brother unhappy like he had been."

"So what? Is it a crime to ask questions?" Lupin retorted, but Bish could trace the humor in her friend's voice and she had to smile. It hadn't been there for a while; at least, not as boldly and noticeable when Lupin was in that rut after hers and Edward's fight. It was relief to Bish because now she could thoroughly enjoy Spain without sucking in that sour, 'pity-me' haze Lupin had finally pulled herself out of.

And it had been all on her own without coaxing or goading from either her or Alphonse.

"Oh-kay, hun, I think I'm gonna go upstairs and just…sit. Yeah…"

"Uh-huh, just, uh, tell Jack dinner might take a few extra minutes if you see him, okay?" Lupin replied, calling over her shoulder. Bish nodded and waved her hand at the girl.

"No problem, hun. I'll let him know. Come on, Al, I don't think they need us just standing in the way; we might get injured by boiling water if Lupin so deems it. I can be dangerous because I'll burn this fucking ship down, but she'd be just as scary because she KNOWS how to use that crap in there."

Al was reluctant before he nodded and followed Bish out. It was a balmy day; not too hot, not too cold and the weather seemed to be improving, temperature wise. Bish suspected it was because they were coming closer to a more temperate climate than the middle of the Atlantic, which had been cold, hazy days with light drizzles and overcast skies most of the time.

Bish smiled, simply because the weather was nice and she was in good company, despite being surrounded by other people.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"You certainly know how t' make a meal, dearie."

"Oh, well, thanks. I'll consider that a compliment. Enjoy, Cap'n. Let me know if you want some more."

Lupin didn't find it quite so odd that Jack ate his meals in his cabin any longer. He probably felt more comfortable, more at ease in the leisure of his own quarters, his own comfort zone. Plus, he was Captain, so he could do whatever he wanted.

_Just like he could have had you thrown overboard…_ A familiar voice wormed its way into her conscious thoughts. Lupin shook it away, but she had to agree with her own observation. Jack could have chosen not to believe her, or Bish, or the Elric brothers and she was grateful that he had. If he had been any other man, somehow, Lupin had a feeling that they would have been tossed back into the sea without a second's hesitance; not everyone treated women with utmost respect in this time, she had to remind herself.

But…Jack was a flirtatious man, a ladies hound, and he certainly knew how to charm one right; but so far, she had received nothing from the man. _Maybe because I look too young? _

Nah, that couldn't be the reason. Women as young as her and younger were married off, some with kids, even. But, whatever the reason, she hoped it would stay that way. In Lupin's honest opinion, Jack was attractive—in his own, odd way—but she had to remind herself. He was almost twice her age and she preferred to be with someone who wouldn't run off after a one-night stand and someone who was her age. Yep, that was her moral.

_And what about Bishquet? _

…

It didn't take long for Lupin to remember that Bish had a little something-something for the now considered, Orlando Bloom look-alike Will Turner. Lupin had to snort back laughter, remembering Bish's words from an IM a while ago.

"_He looked hot in Pirates, but I preferred him when he was an Elf." _

She had known what Bish was talking about, J.R.R. Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_ series. Sadly, though, for some reason or another, Lupin hadn't been as caught up in the movies as Bish had been. She saw the first movie, yes, but couldn't even finish the second movie completely. It had always bored her for an odd reason, even though the graphics looked interesting and Gollum was amusing. _Oh, well, my loss…I'm hungry…_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It seemed to be a turning point, after that talk on that one night, Edward felt a little better having a conversation with Lupin. She seemed to have great pride in her artwork and he had to admit it was impressive to view. Her painting was amazing, even for an older copy. Ever since that night, however, things have quelled between the two and he was grateful for it. Not being able to escape, to be trapped on the ship in the middle of the ocean… And if he could, he would have swum away, but given his current situation and his limbs…

If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Al had been the only outlet, the only sense of sanity he had on this ship. He couldn't forget that he liked Gibbs to some degree, although the man was a bit of a superstitious quack at times; Cotton wasn't much of a talker and Edward didn't really care for his nippy parrot that Lupin could lull to a sleepy trance—how she did it, he'll never know—; Marty was, well, Marty, given that Ed suddenly liked his height, given that he was now taller than a full-grown man…

And the others… He didn't trust them. Leech especially. He was bad news, whatever it may be. He's heard the man muttering about an uprising of some kind, talking with all the men every few nights behind Jack's back. He had pretended he wasn't listening, but that was all; Al had a bad feeling as well with the men and hoped that nothing would disturb their trip.

Then there was Jack…

Captain Jack Sparrow was a hard man to predict; and an idiot to boot, in Edward's opinion. He was unbalanced, quirky, and odd and Ed didn't particularly care for Jack's odd way of walking, talking and moving about with those fluttering hands of his or his kohl-rimmed eyes that seemed to either cloud over with a seeming state of drunkenness or… They seemed to stab through a person, as if peering into their true self, knowing who they are really. But…despite all that, the man seemed to know what he was doing, what with the sailing and all. Plus, he wasn't that much of a pushover as Ed had once thought him to be.

He was gruff when he needed and Ed only needed three days ago as proof.

Jack was thoroughly displeased with the way Leech had been discrediting him. The piratical captain, at first, had turned the other cheek at the seemingly subtle yet direct, jaunts and the jeers, but finally he showed his rougher side and snapped at the man, his attitude suddenly exchanged anew. Ed admitted that one time was impressive to see: Jack angry, his voice deepened and his face darkened over with the flash of red anger in his sharp, witty almond eyes. Usually, Jack just used a combination of confusing words to make his men succumb to a dumbfounded, confused state, but apparently, Leech had hit the right button to make Jack snap like he had.

Other than that, however, Ed held Jack at arm's length when it came to issuing his trust to the pirate. He didn't trust most on this ship; his brother excluded, although, he didn't know where to place Lupin and Bish. He knew they knew _something_, but what it was, he wanted to know and he would find out, eventually. For right now, if he pressed with them, they would press with him and Al. Well Lupin would most likely do so; he doubted Bish was as curious about him as he was about them.

Curiosity still stole over him from time to time, but he learned to ignore his curiosity.

Spain was drawing near and the ever-long decision he had been squabbling over internally was needed to be fixated and rooted into place. Will he and Al stay with Jack and the _Pearl_ or would they find their own means of going back to their own time, traveling abroad as they had been doing with Noa? He sighed.

It was difficult, now that he had no qualms with Lupin. At first, after the fight, he had been all for it, anything, anything to get away from that aggravating, annoying, self-righteous…_girl_. He didn't need to be talked down or to, like she had done so. Al had been his only means of escape, someone to talk to, even if hesitantly and he had to have it dragged out of him by his younger brother at times. He obviously knew his social skills were less than perfect, even with Al, but he didn't feel like polishing up on them, just for the sake of saving face when he shouldn't have to, only when he needed to.

Plus, he hadn't liked how pushy Lupin had been with him. It was none of her business about his past, his OR Al's, for that matter. She didn't have a right and he would keep his right to privacy intact, no matter how much she pressed and prodded in the near or distant future.

Again, Edward stopped. _Distant future? You don't even know if you're staying here…_

His mind drew back to the conversation in Jack's cabin, seemingly years ago, but in reality, it had only been a few weeks ago.

"_First o' all, you girls seem to know these young men. But you claim you t' never 'ave met them."_

How and where and why did they know about him? Well, not just him, but Alphonse as well? It seemed all so strange, so surreal to be thinking like this… He wanted answers, and they were within reach, but he was unable to attain them because it wasn't logged away in a book or a scrap of paper; it was stored within an obstinate, thickheaded nineteen-year-old young woman by the name of Lupin. Well…that wasn't her real name.

Edward had seen it in the logbook. Brittney "Lupin" Hawkins. Once…and only once, he had called her 'Brittney'. She was cold, colder than ice and about as venomous as a viper with her voice when she spoke to him.

"_Don't you EVER call me by that goddamned name, again, or so help me God, I will hurt you so bad, your ancestors and your future children's, children's, children will feel the pain I will inflict on you. You have no right to call me by that and you haven't earned it either." _

He obviously could detect the threat in there and the deep-set glare she had given him from her hardened, crystallized blue-gray eyes, he realized she would find a way to inflict as much harm to him, whatever that may be—physically or mentally. She was deadly, but in what given way, he couldn't pin it yet. But he knew she could be manipulative, just as her friend had been and it made him put two and two together to see that Lupin had picked up the trait and tips from Bishquet.

Ed sighed again and shook the thoughts away. For now, he'd focus on one step at a time and one of them was making it to Spain in one piece without going insane.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Slowly, the last few days were passing by, and Alphonse could sense the restlessness rise tremendously within his older brother. It was bearable to say in the least; he knew his brother had always been like that. Predictable, to say in the least; his older brother was easier to predict, almost word for word or action by action when he got like this. Well…the keyword being 'almost'.

And the decision Edward had discussed with him hasn't been brought up for the past few days, making the younger Elric wonder and worry. What was Ed planning now? Had he changed his mind and would he stay instead of go?

Al couldn't answer these questions, so he had resolved to talk to Ed later that night after dinner, in privacy, something surprisingly easy to attain despite the ship crawling with piratical men. It was dark, to say in the least and the most private of areas, Al surprisingly found out, was near the brig; the metal holding cells like cages, brimming with brine and seasalt and grime stuck to the bars.

A thin layer of water sloshed on the wooden flooring, lapping against his shoes, but Al ignored it and heard his brother coming. The telltale cursing allowed him that much to know.

"Dammit, that's the fifth time!"

Grumbling, a disgruntled Edward emerged from the shadows, his face set in a scowl as he continued to mutter under his breath before quelling down at the sight of his younger brother.

"Having a hard time, brother?" Al asked lightly, a hidden laugh in his tone. Ed's lips twitched.

"You really don't want to ask for it, Al, I'm serious." He growled out. Al took it with grace and shrugged. "So…what'd you want to talk about that you had to make me climb down to the most hellish parts of this ship?"

Al paused, trying to recover the right words to start the conversation. Well, there was no beating around the bush or using subtlety with Ed.

"Well…I wanted to know, what we're planning on doing once we dock in Spain."

Ed's attitude and previous complaints of having to come down died on his lips as he stared at his brother. "What do you mean, Al?" He asked.

"I mean…what are we going to do? Are we just going to leave or are we going to stay with Bish and Lupin?"

Edward frowned. So that's what's been on Al's mind. He had been worried it was something else entirely. Al waited patiently, his amber-gray eyes locking gazes with Ed's golden ones. The brothers stood in the relative silence, the only light given off by a flickering flame enclosed in one of the many lanterns on the ship Al had brought with him below decks.

"To be honest…I don't know, Al. On one hand…I don't trust Jack and I'm not sure I can trust his decisions all too well. For one, he's a pirate and another, he doesn't tell us everything. But…" He paused. Al raised a brow at his brother's reluctance to answer.

"But…what?" Al pressed.

"But…I don't really know, Al. I mean…dammit, how do I say this?" Ed sighed. "But on the other hand…I don't know what would happen to the girls if we left now."

Ah. There it was: guilt and remorse at the thought of leaving a debt unpaid. Lupin had kept a constant vigilance to keeping him alive, as had Bish done for him, Al reminded himself. If they left now and Ed left with that feeling that he had to owe someone something… Al had to smile at his brother's message and nodded, understanding.

"Maybe we should at least trust Jack's friend, if not Jack himself." Al offered, and Ed raised a brow in questioning. "I mean…I just…have a feeling that we might be able to receive some help from this friend of his. You never know; maybe Jack's friend is worth seeking out?"

Ed looked skeptical, but he only nodded at Al's observation and hopefulness.

Al looked to the ceiling and sighed, hearing boots tromp on the wood above them; some boots being tossed and wood creaking as hammocks were given weight to them. The brothers exchanged glances before Ed yawned, covering his mouth. "I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed. You coming, Al?"

He paused before giving Ed an answer. "No, I think I'll stay up a little longer. You go ahead."

"You sure?"

"Mm-hmm. I'm fine."

Ed finally left, casting one last glance towards his brother before disappearing and Al watched him go before picking up the lantern and following the trail his brother took. But, instead of heading towards the forecastle, he ascended the stairs completely until he found himself on the main deck, the sprinkle of stars already twinkling in the night sky. He had to smile at the simplicity in the beauty, and he had to admit… He liked the ocean. It was an amazing place.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Seagulls cawed and squawked overhead, but there was yet to be a sign of land. Lupin hung around the quarterdeck, watching Bish handle the ship with ease. She couldn't help but take a sudden and bizarre crack at her friend.

"Don't go crashing into any other ship or cutting them off now. We don't need to stop and get any insurance from the wrong people."

"Oh, shut the fuck up. I'm the best driver and you know it."

"Bet you can't steer the _Pearl_ in a hurricane." Lupin countered dryly, nibbling on her nails. It was a nasty habit, she knew. She had been trying to stop…for the better part of nearly nine years now.

"No, no, I probably can't, you're right. I'd probably make your crazy ass do it though." Bish snickered.

"Hey!" Lupin whined.

"And that's why you don't mess with the head honcho. Whore."

"I love you too, hun."

Bish sighed before a pout formed on her lips and she pulled up a surprisingly calloused hand up to smooth out her frizzy hair. She then inspected the bruises on her hand and made a disgusted face. "Ugh, that is DISGUSTING. I don't want to work on a ship anymore; I can't do hard labor. I mean I can, but I just don't like to…"

Lupin sighed and looked at her hands before she stepped over and compared hers to Bish's. "Well, yours could look like mine. Think about that. I'm not just cooking for everyone, you know."

"Yeah, you're helping tying down those fucking lines or ropes or whatever they're called when they're strung up all over the place and shit. I wouldn't be surprised if Jack starts having you climb up like that little fucker up there." Bish nodded her head once upwards and Lupin followed her friend's gaze to see the monkey squeaking up in the latticework of the lines, scampering about, out of reach of any man.

Lupin snickered. Bish didn't like the monkey anymore; not since it had jumped to use her as a shield, hiding under her frizzed hair. Lupin had laughed her ass off to the point of pissing herself silly and crying because it had hurt so much to laugh. Bish had refused, from that day on to allow the creature near her and so, Lupin was the only sanctuary left Jack the Monkey had. But, rarely did he come down, even when being shot at by Jack Sparrow.

Cotton was coming back and the wolf stepped aside as he motioned for Bish to move as well. She finally surrendered the helm and the old man took to 'driving the boat', as Bish liked to call it. Lupin stared at Cotton's parrot and reached up, only to be nipped. She glared at the bird.

"Hey! You bite me again; you won't be getting any fruit. Do you hear me?"

The authority in her voice made the bird pause before it let out a loud, "Aye, aye!"

Satisfied, Lupin nodded and reached up to pet the large parrot. It lowered its head and she scratched it. "Oh, yes, you like that, don't you, bubba?" She cooed. Bish only stared, transfixed with a look bordering laughter and awe.

"I seriously don't know how you do that. I mean, I know you told me you had a few birds when you were a kid, but…damn, you seriously know how to get to an animal's soft spots, huh?"

Lupin shrugged. "More or less, yeah, I guess you could say that. Hey, Cotton, can I hold your parrot?"

Cotton looked at her for a moment, and then glanced at the parrot sidled up on his shoulder and nodded a few times. Lupin grinned at the silent man's invitation and brought her hand under the parrot's legs. "Step up. Good boy, that's a good boy… There you go…"

"…Seriously, you're freaking me out. You're coddling a bird like it's a puppy." Bish stared.

Lupin once again, shrugged and snuggled the bird against her chest, rubbing behind its head and whispering sweet little nothings into its ear. She loved birds, that's all there was to it. Walking with Bish down the stairs to the main deck, they were only met with the odd glance from Gibbs, who looked about to say something when he saw Lupin with Cotton's parrot, thought better of it and closed his mouth. Things were slow most of the day, every day, except for when there was little to no breezes or winds pushing the Pearl along.

Once or twice, they had to literally row the _Pearl_ forward—Lupin had forgotten what they were called, but she had gone down to help…and damn, it had hurt like hell. She still felt sore from the last round. And she had almost been declined and turned down, but she was glad when Marty and Gibbs had both stuck up for her.

"Give the lass a try; it's her choice t' help on the ship an' it be her choice t' help us here."

Although she didn't appreciate some of the other men's nasty glares Lupin was soon joined by Ed and Al as well, but Bish remained topside. Not that Lupin blamed her; she could understand where the Hispanic woman would draw the line with labor and this was something that would tear the hands up.

Now she stared at her free hand not holding Cotton's parrot; calloused, worn, cut up in some places and weathered; and a helluva lot tanner than they used to be. Both Bish and Lupin had resorted to either a tank top—black, in Lupin's category—or a spaghetti strap shirt—light blue in Bish's category. Long pants were mandatory for the wolf, although she had once been tempted by an extremely hot day to don her swim shorts and just wander around in those.

Al and Ed had both resorted to wearing the clothes on their backs: dark-colored slacks, a white cotton shirt, and a vest with scuffed shoes, worn from travel. Only Ed had a duster, just as Lupin had her own; the very one she used a blanket. Bish, however, resolved to use the scratchy wool blanket that smelled more than a little moldy, but she swore to buy a nicer quality blanket or quilt when they were in Spain; Lupin had promised to go sight-seeing and some shopping with Bish after they had finished buying supplies from the marketers and stall vendors.

It then made her wonder…what were Ed and Al's plans once they reached Spain? She knew they signed the logbook, but every sailor was free to come and go as they pleased; they weren't bound to the ship they sailed and the Elric brothers were certainly no exception. Yes, they helped tied down or reef the sails; tie up or slacken lines and other jobs alongside the pirates, but Lupin figured they only did so to reach their destination without any hazardous complications along the way.

_Playing to get what you want, eh? _Lupin thought. She sighed.

"Bish…"

"Hmm? What is it, hun?"

Lupin sat down next to her friend, narrowly avoiding being splashed by grimy bucket water by Hooknose. He gave her a look of contempt from the corner of his eyes as he turned and Lupin made a face at his back before she buried her nose in the parrot's feathers, reveling in the soft downy feather scent, mingled with the seasalt scent it had been surrounded by.

"…Do you think Ed and Al will leave? I'm just…worried." She finally said, voicing her concerns.

Bish frowned and, keeping a wary eye on the parrot, but another on her friend, the dark-haired woman placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Truthfully? I don't know. But, if it can't be helped, they'll most likely leave. I know you're worried, but you can't control them. Ed usually makes the decisions, right?"

Lupin nodded. Bish continued.

"And sometimes, Al follows, yes, but he also expresses his own opinion before following up. Maybe Al will talk Ed into staying longer until we reach Jack's friend."

"Tia Dalma, you mean." Lupin corrected and Bish rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, her, whatever her name is. Look, Lupin…I know you want them to stay, but if they leave, you'll have to just grin and bear it, even when it's hard to. I just…don't want you getting too attached when—,"

"Attached? Who said I was attached? I just don't want to see them the next set of bodies hanging from a cliffside because they tried—and failed—at selling their story to someone else—even if they ARE careful in whom they talk to. That's what people do in this century, Bishquet… They hang the weird and the unnaturally behaving people. They don't LIKE weird people like you and me. It'll be about as bad as the Salem Witch Trials with these guys, but it might be worse."

Lupin furrowed her brow; her voice lowering after Bish squeezed her shoulder again. The wolf dropped her gaze. "I'm worried…yes. I will admit that. But…I'm not a child anymore. I'm not some stupid idiot who fawns over a TV character anymore."

Bish studied her friend's face, knowing whom the wolf was speaking about before she sighed, shaking her head all the while not quite believing Lupin. "All right, whatever you say, hun. But don't come crying to me if they leave."

"I won't cry." Lupin stated bluntly. Bish once again searched her friend's face.

"…If you say so."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	10. Spain

**Chapter Nine:  
Spain**

**Reviewers: **

**Captain Lt. RaIQ Boondock**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_A pioneer is never lost, but occasionally bewildered.  
_**- Anna Lee Walda, "**_**Sacajawea**_**"**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Omigod, Omigod, Omigod…Loopy…we're here! Eeee!"

Lupin could only smile at her friend's reaction, but her throat restricted in her own excitement as she bubbled inside. Land. No, better than land: Spain, in Bish's case. A few hours after breakfast, someone from the crow's nest declared land was in sight and within the hour, it slowly appeared on the horizon, driving away the sight of just blue waves in the distance.

Jack was out and about, shouting clear and booming orders. Apparently, he liked a cleanly looking ship and wanted it so when they pulled into the docks at the town they would be landing in: Cádiz, the closest port they could reach at the moment before slipping into the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Africa. It was a port tucked within a small peninsula, and small, squat white buildings—most, Lupin assumed, were houses while others were possibly landmarks and possibly famous future buildings of hers and Bish's time—were cramped together on the land, and there were plenty of other ships loitering around the waters as the _Pearl_ sailed closer, cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter. Some ships were even bigger than the _Black Pearl_, but nobody seemed to take notice. All they had eyes for was the land coming closer to them.

However, another thing no one seemed to take notice were the uneasy looks Edward and Alphonse were casting to one another the closer they got to Spain. Decision time was ticking closer and soon, they'd have to pick one or the other: stay or go.

But, just as the tension was seeming to become unbearable, a loud howl ripped through their thought patterns and all eyes seemed to land on the only who would do such a thing without a care in the world: Lupin. The howl itself sounded rather authentic; even if no one has heard a wolf howl, surely they've heard some sort of canine howl. It was strong, wavered here and there, then picked back its clear note before she let it fade. Grinning a feral smile, her eyes sparkled and she only laughed at the silence while Bish stared at her like she had grown a tail. The Hispanic woman blinked only once, shaking her head.

"I'm sure whatever is wrong with you, it has a name and a dosage for when we get back."

Lupin only laughed, her quirky little grin back in place, the feral one having vanished as she merely shrugged at her friend's comment and went back to helping clean up the ship. At least, she was cleaning until Jack called for her.

"Aye, Captain?"

She climbed to the quarterdeck, and stood attentively at Jack's side, looking momentarily over the bowsprit to view Cádiz, then returned her gaze back to Jack.

"I want you t' make a list o' all the things we'll need, food-wise. Take yer friend with you an' the lads as well. Order up what we need an' then I'll have me men go an' pick it all up in the afternoon."

Lupin stared for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, um, list, list, list… Uh, could I have some paper to write that all down so I don't spontaneously forget stuff?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Wait, he wants us to do _what_, exactly?"

Ed stared at Lupin as she sat with her knees up close, scratchily writing on a rough piece of parchment with a quill and an inkwell sitting next to her. She carefully dipped the end in, made a slight scowl at the feathered pen and once again began to scribble furiously. She didn't look up when she spoke to him.

"Well, he wants you to help me and Bish shop or something. I dunno, I really don't. Bish is gonna be my translator because I highly doubt I'll be able to find one English-speaking person in this place. I gladly admit I don't know an ounce of Spanish to save my sorry ass."

"Then you don't need us. I don't see any point in us going, if you're just placing orders." Ed said moodily.

"Yeah, well…don't shoot the messenger, all right? Talk to Jack if you have a bone to pick with him, not me, because I refuse to be your little lapdog."

Well, she could practically feel Ed boring into her skull with such a heated glare, that she almost winced but held her ground; even when she couldn't SEE him doing so. Which, he was, and if looks could kill…

Bish and Al had disappeared to the galley, Lupin having sent them there, to double-check on low supplies that Lupin might have missed. It was just as Ed was about to say something in retortion to Lupin's reply that Gibbs stumbled upon the two, and he looked expectantly towards Lupin.

"Oh, Miss Hawk—, I mean, Lupin. Cap'n wanted me t' remind you that yer t' go an' pick up on a few sheep and perhaps a goat or two if ye can whilst yer out an' about, ordering our food supplies. Don't worry about drinking supplies; he said he'd take care o' it."

_Of course, meaning rum._ Lupin thought with a wry smile just waiting to crease her lips, but she merely nodded again, keeping as straight a face she could. Gibbs nodded as well, approving that she knew what she was being told and was going to obey. "Aye, Mr. Gibbs, can do." Ed turned his disgruntlement from Lupin to Gibbs. A small part of her was grateful. She couldn't concentrate with him hovering over her like an angry vulture, just waiting to peck her eyes out if she just so much as looked at him wrong. _It's not MY fault Jack's ordering you to do something. Maybe you should just listen instead of just fighting it. You haven't grown up at all; you still have a problem with authority!_

Bish and Al came not too long after Ed disappeared to look for Jack and Lupin was almost done with the list she had had to mentally go over, again and again, repeating names of things to try and make other items suddenly pop up so that she could write it down. It worked a few times, but other than that, she was drawing a blank now, but she knew she was missing _something_.

"Okay, hun, did you get what you could on the list?"

Lupin presented her friend with the list. Bish took it, scanned it over and nodded before she handed it back. "Okay, you're missing a few things—,"

"I knew it. What am I missing?"

Al smiled and offered a few things when Bish missed something and then Lupin wrote it down, grateful that she was getting help at least from SOMEONE. After the whole list was compiled, Lupin finally placed 'sheeps and goats' at the end, waited for the ink to dry, and folded the parchment up, cleaned off the quill on her jeans and screwed on the lid for the inkwell tightly. Standing, Lupin stretched before she tucked away the list into her trench coat's pocket. She clacked her boots noisily on the wooden planks with a grin.

"Ah, I feel so much better now that I've gotten that out of the way. Does anyone know how much longer until we're allowed ashore?"

"About an hour, an hour and a half maybe, after we drop anchor. Still a few things to do before we can go." Marty suddenly appeared, staring pointedly at the wolf. Lupin flinched, blinking rapidly in surprise. Her heart raced for a few moments, but she calmed down soon enough. Marty had surprised her by just popping up like he had.

"Oh. Okay, thanks Marty."

"No problem. You got the list for food?"

Lupin nodded and Bish snickered behind Lupin's back. She ignored her. "Yeah, I did. Jack just told me to go and order the things we needed and that you guys would pick it up later in the afternoon."

Marty nodded at that. "Yeah, Cap'n said something like that a little while ago. We're to go and restock supplies before we're allowed to go out and drink. Supplies come first for the ship." He said. That was understandable.

"Well, Loopy doesn't know a word of Spanish, so she's at my mercy as translator, aren't you hun?"

Bish came up behind Lupin and wrapped a companionable arm around Lupin's shoulders and squeezed her friend in a hug. The wolf snickered. "Oh, yes, all bow down to the might and powerful Bishquet."

"That's right, bitch, you better bow down or I'll have you married off to some big and ugly Spaniard if you piss me off, whore."

The wolf squealed and giggled insanely while Marty stared between the two with an odd expression on his face before he turned and walked away, muttering about insane women and their strange way of speaking to one another. Alphonse sighed, knowing by now that the two only joked whenever they called each other such crude and seemingly vulgar names. He got used to it, although some of the things that flew out of their mouths still surprised him.

There were times when he wished for Noa's company, but at the same time, he wouldn't have wished this harship on her. She didn't need to be here, in this strange time period and different world. Even if she wished for it, to be somewhere else where discimination wouldn't reach her ears, this was wasn't the place for her. _It's not even the place for brother or me. _

"Hey, Al, you'll tell your bone-headed brother to come along with us, won't you?" Bish asked him, drawing the young man out of his thoughts. He looked to Bish and then Lupin before he sighed with a soft smile gracing his lips.

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything progressive with him. He can be quite stubborn when he wants to be." He replied. Lupin sighed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Stubborn, pigheaded brat…" She grumbled with a glare directed, Al assumed, at his absent brother. Bish rolled her eyes.

"Well, you never know, Loopy…"

The wolf shrugged nonchalantly and ambled off, as if she already knew the answer to Ed's decision that he and Al had been plowing their thoughts through for the past few weeks and no amount of hope against all odds could change it. Al frowned at the wolf's disgruntled behavior and had to agree with Bish. Although Edward had been leaning more towards leaving the _Pearl_ once they hit land, he hadn't been whole-heartedly set on the decision at all.

He's seen his brother waver between choices before; tough decisions and he had been there, supporting or leaning towards the same decision or another that his brother had to pick between. This one was just another one of those debates that they were transfixed on now; crossing one bridge before worrying about another. And they had both crossed their fair share of dangerous bridges in their lifetime.

Now Bish sighed in turn, and shook her head at her friend's discouraged attitude. Al looked to the dock that was approaching, and opened his mouth to say something, but someone somewhere yelled for him.

"Mr. Elric, get yerself up there and help reef those sails with yer brother!"

He closed his mouth and turned to see Ed already climbing up, keeping a wary eye below him, and a tight grip on the ladder-like roping that he was using, as he should. Both the brothers knew well enough that Edward couldn't swim and the last incident he had almost drowned, he used alchemy at the last second to help him. Here…there was no alchemy. It was scary to realize how much their alchemy had saved their lives and when interpreted through this world…most of their deeds would have been deemed impossible by the highest degree.

He mumbled an apology to Bish before he walked off and Bish watched him go quietly, wondering what he had wanted to say.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin was feeling elation float through her as she saw the gangplank being lowered onto the dock, people brimming and loitering around, getting to their own ships. But what also made her wary and nervous were the men who were dressed in uniform and she was immediately reminded of the British Navy. Some of the men around her were just as wary.

"Step lightly, you scurvy dogs. I don't wany any o' ye bringin any o' their lot onto my ship. I do NOT need anyone askin' any unnecesary questions about the _Pearl_." He first motioned to the uniformed Spaniards. "Navymen fer Spain. Not exactly friendly with our dear ol' friends fer 'Is Majesty's, but they'll want t' catch pirates just as badly as the English." His sharp gaze shifted between each face of his men, but lingered the longest upon the Elric brothers and Lupin and Bishquet. "Understand?"

There was a loud chorus of, "Aye, aye Cap'n!"

Lupin was one of the louder ones and Bish looked on the verge of laughing at the wolf. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing…" Bish shook her head.

The four teens quickly got lost as soon as they lost sight of the other men, the docks, and the _Pearl_. The sudden look of determination and cockiness lost is edge when Lupin realized she was no longer in an English-speaking community and she frowned, not understanding what people were saying around her. She's heard her friend speak fluently in Spanish, but usually, got a translation in English—more like a summary—of what she had said at times. But now…there was no English and she realized that she was at her friend's mercy—oh, yes…she feared her friend whenever she spoke in Spanish, but only so when the dark-haired woman was in a rage.

…

Plus, she didn't want to be married to any Spaniard, yo.

So, she trotted after Bishquet, until they finally gave up and Bish had to stop someone for directions. Ed seemed less interested in the Spanish-speaking woman and the old man Bish had stopped and instead noted the decrepit state of some of the households around them. Al, however, gave Bish his attention, even if she wasn't aware of it. Lupin was anxious, but she waited patiently.

"Okay, so we're to look for a plaza of some sort; it's marketday today, so we came on a good day, he said. Just follow the crowd and we'll get there quicker." Bish finally answered Lupin's questioning, curious gaze. The wolf nodded and laid a hand over the pocket of her trench coat that held the list she had made, making sure it was there.

Bish suddenly frowned. "You know…you stick out a little like a sore thumb, Loopy…and so do you two."

"Oh, and you don't?"

"Oh, no, I know I do, definitely. I just kinda wish we had something more…18th century-ish that we could wear. Kinda like the dresses Elizabeth wears…"

Lupin blinked once in surprise to her friend's reference to Elizabeth Swann. Bish gave her a look.

"Don't look at me like that; I know who's who." She stated matter-of-factly to the wolf. "Plus, if the dresses were shorter for us, we'd look dead sexy in them. Really. But, some of the ruffles I really don't like…"

At this point, Lupin cleared her throat loudly and gently made a soft slicing motion with her finger across her neck, back to the Elric brothers. "Ix-nay on Izabeth-Eh." Lupin muttered lowly, her teeth practially grinding the soft sentence out to her friend. Bish immediately caught on and noticed that Ed was looking at them suspiciously and Al was curious as to what their conversation was meaning.

Bish found the alternative to change the subject; a last-minute attempt at throwing off suspicions, but she doubted it worked very well.

"Oh-kay, who's ready to go and buy some food?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The market was bustling in the plaza. People were brushed tightly against other people; faint smells of cattle and other livestock filled the air; fresh, smelly leather and tanning goods accompanied the animal smells; jewelers and blacksmiths hammered away at their own trade and children were there, helping in their family's stalls or running about, weaving between the legs of adults who were shouting rapidly in Spanish.

Bish seemed to have a healthier glow to her shining Hispanic face, her eyes twinkled and there was a bounce to her step and Lupin knew, hands down, that her friend was in her element. Ed and Al stared in wonder, and Lupin only noticed now that they also looked a little lost from the looks on their faces. They had traveled abroad, maybe, but obviously, Spain was not among the list of unkown countries they had visited.

Someone suddenly shoved into Bish and she snarled out in rage, giving the unknown passerby a hard thwack on the head with a balled up fist and her tongue wagged rapidly with the language Lupin had never considered learning, even in high school. The passerby coughed and staggered away, and was soon gone from sight and Lupin heard her friend huff in agitation.

"Fucking A', that asshole didn't even APOLOGIZE. I should've kicked his ass."

"I would have been there, cheering you on the whole way." Lupin shrugged. Bish ignored her and muttered something in Spanish, but the wolf recognized a word or two Bish had once translated for the wolf; harsh swear words, and Lupin had to wince herself at the way her friend fired them out. Luckily, neither Ed or Al knew Spanish—she doubted they did, from their confused faces at the language that was being spoken fluently around them—and that they hadn't heard Bish muttering under her breathe.

"All right, whore, come on, we need to find the food stalls, right?"

"Then ask around! I don't know my way around her any better than I know my way with Portugese; get up there and use that tongue of yours to ask for directions!" Lupin whined, pushing her friend forward gently and Bish let out a round of laughter.

"HA! Portugal is right next door to Spain, how'd you know?"

"…I didn't. Now move it."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

For about two hours, Lupin had Bish act as translator and at the same time, kept a vigilant watch on the two Elric brothers—mostly Ed, because she knew of his nature to…slip away when unnoticed. She sighed tiredly, wiping the sweat from her brow. She had forgotten it was still summer and that it was hot here since this country was closer to the Equator, than say, England. Oh, how crazy this was… She was tempted to shed her trench coat, but she dealt with the heat; it wasn't the first time she's done so and Ed hadn't even done the same, even when she noticed the light sheen of sweat on his own brow, as well as Alphonse's.

_Hot, it's hot…_ She groaned mentally. Bish poked her.

"Okay, so he's willing to make a deal, but he's still a little skeptical that we won't pay him; it seems he's been tricked more than once to sell his goods without receiving in the end. If I have to, I'll beat that sexy kohl-wearing beast for the money; I wouldn't feel right stealing from this guy."

"…You'd beat Jack?" Lupin blinked with the telltale whimper in her voice. It was more whine than whimper, but that wasn't the point.

"Yes, but I'd give him some sugar later…" Bish shrugged nonchalantly. Lupin rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Tell him we'll have the money by late afternoon and that he'll need the merchandise ready by then."

Nodding, her friend nodded and turned back to the old, leather-faced man his dark brown eyes deeply set in his face as he stared at the Hispanic young woman before her, nodding as she spoke. Her 'r's had profusely differentiated from when she spoke in English—they rolled more and seemed to 'trill' in Lupin's opinion—and her 's' sounding syllables were slightly more pronounced, but her friend made the language sound pretty, even if she was speaking rapidly and Lupin had no clue what she was saying.

But, Lupin wasn't the only paying attention. Al was keeping a rather close ear to the woman speaking it. He's heard plenty of languages: French, English, German—not his most favored of them all, but one he's come to learn and use, thanks to Ed's teachings—and Italian. He had picked up fast—faster than Ed had, his brother had admitted—but Spanish was a language he had never learned. Of course, he hadn't been exposed to the language by much, but faintly, it sounded quite similar to Italian.

He was impressed that Bish was so fluently bilingual; he had honestly never expected it, but now here Bish was: speaking in another language as easily and fluidly as she did in English. He listened intently, catching a few words that sounded familiar when he compared the words to Italian.

Other than that, though the language eluded him like a slippery fish.

Quietly, he followed alongside his brother, taking in the scenery, smiling quietly at Bish's uncontained squeals of excitement and babble over the beauty of the town—or, what they had seen of it so far—and he found it he couldn't stop. It was infectious, finding himself smiling at the simplicity as the joy of his two other companions, but his brother…

Ed seemed withdrawn and enclosed to his own mind, and Al's smile faltered and finally dropped after a time, the Spanish language weaving in and out of his concsious train of thought until it had drowned out to become white noise as he focused on Edward.

"Brother?"

He didn't respond at first until the third initial "Brother," got to him. Ed blinked and looked to Al's faced, etched with worry and concern. He smiled, trying to reassure Alphonse. "What? Is something wrong?"

"I could ask you the same question, brother." Al said pointedly, frowning at his brother's response. Ed returned the gesture and lowered his gaze a little.

"Sorry…I've got a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to space out like that."

"It's…it's okay. You've just been under some stress lately. It's understandable." Al hesitated a moment before he lowered his voice, leaning towards Ed's ear, so that only he could hear him. "You're thinking about leaving, aren't you?"

Ed's gaze dropped away from Al's. Al didn't need to see his brother's golden gaze to know it held guilt. Al's frown deepened.

"Brother, how could you? I know we've…we've been talking about it, but…they saved our lives! We can't leave them alone! We'd be dead right now if it weren't for them…"

It was Ed's turn to hesitate on his own part and as they continued through the throng of people, trying to keep an even pace with the girls, and not lose them at the same time, he finally sighed deeply.

"I know that Al, but…we're sailing with…_pirates_. It doesn't feel right at all…" Reluctance held him fast and he glanced over at Bish and Lupin's backsides as they once again stopped, this time in front of a livestock trader. It smelled terrible here and he crinkled his nose in distaste. Al grimaced at the smell as well."Look…I know you feel wrong leaving them like this, but we can't stay here. I know you think Jack's friend can help us, but…can you really trust a man like him to keep his word? Honestly, Al, can you?"

Hesitance held the younger Elric this time and he avoided his brother's gaze, instead landing on the two women who had cared for them merely a few weeks ago. From what they were told, the girls had practically sacrificed little to no sleep all during that week to help him and his brother… How could he just turn his back on such selflessness like his brother was planning to? Edward was grateful; he could see it in his brother's eyes, Al knew…

But it was Jack that made the elder Elric cautious and overly wary now. It was almost as if he were expecting the pirate to turn on them and throw them to this…East India Trading Company; something Jack supposedly feared himself. Al pursed his lips.

He couldn't leave. Not when these two girls were to stay. It wasn't just about staying with them; it was about getting home, and if they left, Al wouldn't have a first clue on how to get home. And he knew, neither would Ed. All they had was this mysterious friend Jack proclaimed to have and if they didn't trust a pirate's word, who could they trust? Al mentally shook away the thought before it got any farther.

Plus…he knew Ed would regret not being able to repay a debt he'd most likely fret over about later. Finally, Al shook his head at his brother's words.

"No…"

Ed looked confused for a moment. "No?"

"No…I can't…no, I won't go. WE can't go. We owe them, and whether or not you'll admit it, brother, but we also owe Jack. He could have just let us die on that lifeboat, but he didn't. He had us pulled out and the girls…they saved us from dying."

He remembered holding Jeremey's hand when the young man had died… It had scared him to think that he could have died that same way: dying of hunger, thirst, sun stroke, and left to rot under the sun's gaze with no one knowing nor caring who they were in this time period. Noa would never know what happened to them and he felt a sudden pang for her company. She was a sweet woman; someone who's company was familiar and one he enjoyed.

Edward stared at Alphonse in shock. "No…?" He merely repeated, dumbfounded.

Al nodded, strengthening his own confirmation of his decision just by that action alone. He wouldn't leave. And if he wouldn't…Ed most likely wouldn't either. He wouldn't leave his younger brother alone again. Not when he could help it and Al knew that; although he felt a little guilty pulling this dirty trick on his older brother. But, if it was the only way to get him to come along…

"You can't stay, Al! We can't trust Jack—,"

"And how do you know that? He's given us shelter and food when he could have just left us where we were or worse, just dropped us into the water as soon as we were better. He let us stay, in spite of where we came from, brother. He knows, but he hasn't done anything against it, and I don't even think he's told his men about us, even when they're suspicious."

Ed shut his mouth at his brother's words, and Al knew he had planned to retaliate.

"He's a pirate," Ed finally said. "And he's bad news. I don't trust him, but…if you won't go, then…I'll stay."

The smile in his eyes reached his lips and Al nodded. "Thank you…"

It was only then he realized that he and Ed had been moving through the crowd with Lupin and Bish once more and he heard Bish squealing, once again, returning his quiet attention to the young Hispanic woman, who babbled rapidly in Spanish. Lupin looked lost, the expression on her face just screaming, "English, please!"

Al laughed quietly to himself and beside him, faintly, he heard Ed laughing as well at Lupin's distress and Bish's excitement.

"Okay! Let's go drop off these orders and let's go sight seeing and some REAL shopping!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	11. Lessons

**Chapter Ten:  
Lessons **

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Let us realize that what happens around us is largely outside our control, but the way we choose to react to it is inside our control.  
_**- Anonymous **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin was exhausted when they finally came back. After they had initially dropped off the orders, Gibbs had given the four of them pouches, and all four of them held the items, curious as to what they contained, but vaguely, they had a feeling they knew. Gibbs had explained to them.

"Payment, fer service aboard the _Black Pearl_. Cap'n wanted me t' give it to you before he forgot."

After that, it was history. Ed had wanted to go back onto the ship to rest, but after Bish had taunted him with the idea of getting a better blanket and maybe some better clothes, he had grudgingly trudged back to tromp next to his brother. They at least, did get some new clothes and, because of Lupin's sharp little eyes and quick hands, she had found a few extra precious coins on the ground, nearly trampled down into the dust if she hadn't picked them up.

By the time they got back, the _Pearl_ was scarce of its usual rowdy men and raucous noise when the men were in excitement. Cotton and Harper were the only ones left upon the ship now, the _Pearl_'s darkened wood finish and black-as-night sails eerie against the blood red and rustic orange sky, speckles of gold, shocking yellow and pale streaks of eggshell white clouds contrasting the sky. Bish felt a shudder twist up her spine involuntarily at the sight before she took the lead and walked up the gangplank, dragging her weary feet up with an equally, if not more, tired wolf behind her.

Ed and Al lingered behind, and Ed almost contemplated walking away and never coming back. But, the reproachful look he got from Al reminded him of his earlier decision and with a grunt, he followed Lupin.

Although tired, Lupin had gone to Harper—one of her least favorite crewmates, since she heard of his hands-down support for Leech of a possible mutiny in the future—and had asked what they were supposed to do now that they were back. She couldn't fairly get a straight answer from Cotton's parrot, however amusing she found the bird to be.

"I don't know, why don't you first start by acting more like a woman?" He had first growled out. Lupin bristled and her shoulders tensed, but she took the insult with as much grace as her pride would allow. She heard Bish suddenly crack her knuckles from somewhere behind her, warning Harper, mostly likely with her eyes.

"Well, how about you tell me something more useful, like if they're coming back tonight or tomorrow morning? That way, if no one's coming back tonight, I won't overdo it and make too much food."

Harper, with his beady eyes set deep in his skull, his rat-like face, and his tongue always running over his teeth—Lupin found it extremely annoying, and had not been surprised when Bish had complained about it as well—he was a roughened up man. A scar ran down his temple, hidden by the grit and sweat and dirt he had accumulated over his period of time on the ship. His tangled hair framed his bony face and he assessed Lupin, scrutinized her and silently chastised her. She knew he didn't like her or Bish being on the ship.

"Well, let's see…Cap'n, gone. Crew, gone. If you're so worried about making so much, then don't make anything at all. For all I know, they'll be drinking the night away in some Spanish pub while I sit here and baby-sit a bunch of children who don't act like the way they should."

Lupin's fists quivered at her sides, and her eyes silently smoldered, but she instead just put on a sickly sweet smile. "Fine. Don't speak to me and give me straight answers. You can starve for the night."

She turned heel and walked off, trembling in rage. Bish pursed her lips and put a hand on Lupin's shoulder. Ed and Al looked to Harper, who seemed pleased with himself and then back at the wolf. Her fists continued to quiver as Bish coaxed the wolf to finally go below decks. Cotton, up on the quarterdeck, watched and shook his head, glancing at Harper with distaste.

But, before the wolf went below, she turned and stared at Cotton and his parrot. "Cotton, you want something to eat?"

"Aye, aye!" His parrot warbled and the old man nodded solemnly, and she smiled, tiredly.

"Kay…I'll get something done…"

The bird continued to warble and trill and shifted impatiently on the man's shoulder before it took off and with a screech. Cotton's parrot circled around the wolf, whom stared in surprise, although it was muted by her tiredness. She brought up a hand and it landed and she winced at the sharp claws that bit into her skin and she let the parrot climb to her shoulder; something she rarely allowed with large parrots such as a macaw, but seeing how Cotton rarely was bitten—a miracle, by Lupin's standards—she trusted the parrot enough to be tame around her as well. She so far hadn't had any problems with the parrot.

With a weary sigh, she turned to Bish, who only stared at the wolf with a slow shake of the head. "You have got to be the biggest animal freak I have ever seen in my life. I swear you're like the other Ace Ventura or Steve Irwin. What's next, you'll be lulling sharks to sleep when you go swimming?"

Lupin laughed and shrugged, reaching up to pet the bird on her shoulder and was met with warm skin and fluffy feathers. "Eh, maybe…I dunno. What do you want to eat?"

"Dunno, we have new stuff right?"

"Uh-huh…ooh, I've always wanted to make like, wild rice soup. Do you think I could do that?"

Edward watched as the girls descended below decks, both of which were talking as animatedly as their lethargy would allow and he couldn't help but yawn, reminded of his own tiredness. Al mirrored him. Yawns were contagious, that they were…

"You, boys, over there…"

Ed turned and found Harper staring at them pointedly, beckoning them closer. Al caught Ed's eye and they exchanged glances before caution overcame curiosity as they stepped forward to the dark-skinned man. Cotton was descending from the quarterdeck and Harper waited to see where the man would be going. The elder sailor paused just before heading down after the girls, stared at Harper, shook his head again and then disappeared when Bish's voice called for him.

Harper's eyes flitted back to the boys. "You had best keep yourselves away from those two…_girls_. They haven't a right on this ship. They bring bad luck to us."

Al noticed the rigid tension in Ed's frame. So did Harper. "Do not act to shield them. They should not have been allowed here at all. They should have stayed home, do as they were told by their parents and then marry. They are not sailors. Especially the dark-haired girl—,"

"If you say another word against the girls, you will regret them." Ed said quietly, interrupting Harper, who blinked in surprise at Edward. Harper almost said something in retaliation, but stopped, seeing the dangerous flicker in the smaller young man's eyes and he saw the younger brother nod in agreement with Ed.

"You may not like them and that's fine, but speaking badly about them behind their backs to us won't work too well with you. I'd suggest you stop right now." He added and the man stared, dumbfounded at the Elric brothers complete opposite opinion on the girls. Harper almost opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it and closed it, grinding his teeth and running his tongue noisily over his teeth, simmering as he watched the two young men walk away from him.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Davy Jones is dancin' a jig!"

Lupin snorted. "Oh, is he now?"

"Aye, aye!" Came the screeched reply; a little too loud for the wolf's tastes. She paused, her mouth gaping open as the ringing in her ears slowly faded.

"Ow. That was my EAR. Please don't do that again."

She heard a muffled chuckle coming from the old man and rolled her eyes. "Bish, could you pour a little bit more rice into the pot?"

"How much is 'a little bit more'?"

"Um…" Lupin paused and checked the small pot simmering on the grate. "About a handful. Maybe a little less than that; yeah, that sounds good."

"Okay."

Lupin sighed in relief and rubbed her eyes. "Thanks, Bish, I really appreciate you helping me."

"Er, no problem, even if I am a little, uh, useless in the kitchen."

"You're not THAT useless. I just don't let you heat anything up on the grate. If I did, we'd have to find another way to get home. Plus, I don't think Jack would appreciate having his ship burn down a second time."

"Second time? If it burned down a first time, this ship would be an entirely different one from the first." A voice answered nonchalantly. Lupin turned to find Ed coming to the galley, staring pointedly at the parrot on her shoulder before casting his gaze to the wolf herself. She rolled her eyes.

"Almost. It ALMOST burned down the first time, but he got it repaired. I should have said it differently." She lied. Of course it was a lie; this ship was the reason Davy Jones would be coming after Jack soon. Well, mostly, anyways, if memory recalled correctly.

Cotton's parrot warbled nonsensically in her ear and she finished cutting up the apple she had been attending to and handed a slice to the bird, who took it in its claw and began to eat messily on her shoulder. She took another slice and bit into it. Bish reached over and took another slice and Lupin offered Ed one, and then Al, who suddenly appeared by his brother's side.

"Okay. But how come I've never heard of this?" Ed challenged and Lupin's eyes glanced at Bish. Cotton, obviously, had remained silent throughout this ordeal and Lupin handed him the last slice of the apple and he took a bite, savoring the fruit's juicy nectar.

"I'm the cook, I bring him food every day and I stay to chat." She finally answered coolly. And technically, it was true. Sometimes Lupin stayed until Jack finished his meal, talking with the pirate.

Ed arched an eyebrow, but he seemed convinced and quietly, he finished off his slice of apple that he had taken from Lupin. Bish sighed and stirred dinner, noting that it was simmering quite soundly now. She nudged the wolf, who turned and began attending to the meal at hand.

"Really? What other things does he tell you?"

_Greedy for information, aren't you, Ed? Ah, well, I guess all scientists are like that. Wait…I just called him a scientist, didn't I?_ Lupin sighed and moved the pot over from the fire beneath, having deemed the simmering soup ready and raised a hand over the fire, over the grate, warmed by its licking flames. She stared, mesmerized by the fire.

"Hmm…plenty of things of which I will not repeat out of respect to Jack's privacy; things you needn't know right now." She murmured before she found a small jug of water and poured it over the fire. The fire hissed and sputtered, drowning, and smoke puffed up into the air and Lupin took a step back, watching the smoke rise.

"Like what?"

"…History." She answered calmly. There was a sense of tension coming from the Elric brothers before Ed finally spoke up again.

"I've always hated history."

"No one hates history, they hate their own history." She snapped back a little too quickly and she realized that she had turned to stare at them pointedly, practically to the point of glaring. Lupin caught herself in time and abruptly turned back. "Dinner's ready, go tell Harper, would you?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Just as Lupin had predicted, not many men came back as night fell and the streets began to filter out and empty. Bish stared as lights—candles, she reminded herself, since there's no electric lighting in this time period—began to slowly twinkle and illuminate the darkness. She sighed, staring at the city with misty eyes. Oh, the city was beautiful, if not a little messy and smelly in some places, but beautiful nonetheless. And it was nice to have been on land for a couple of hours and not being wet. That was a bonus, for sure.

And she enjoyed the fact that Al had stayed at her side for most of the day. It wasn't only that, either. The brothers hadn't left or slipped away at many opportune moments when they could have. Another surprising thing she found funny was when Ed had actually agreed in coming along for shopping in the market, again, only this time for simple necessities, such as a more comfortable blanket to sleep in at night or perhaps even an extra shirt and pair of pants. Not that she needed them, no; she and Lupin were sharing a small suitcase that held a few articles of clothing in it for the both of them…

But, it was a relief; she kept telling herself, that they hadn't left. She doubted that the Elric brothers would find someone like Tia Dalma hanging around Europe and would be able to help them. She may not know much of the _Pirates_ movies, but she as hell knew that Tia Dalma wasn't really human at all, just a goddess of some sort or another, trapped in a human body. And goddesses usually had supernatural powers and could help send them back to their original time periods, right?

She sighed, staring out at the town of Cádiz, wishing that they could have at least gotten a room in a hotel or something and could sleep on dry land, for one night. But…considering that she wouldn't trust the beds, and would rather sleep on the floor, she doubted she would get much sleep at night if she and Lupin had done so. What a waste…

"At least I was dry for most of the day…" She muttered under her breath to no in particular.

"Yeah, that was good, being dry…" Another voice, quite close to her, said.

Bish jumped in surprise and stumbled away to find Al standing next to her and she put a hand over her heart, feeling it race. "Oh, GOD, don't DO THAT! What're you trying to do, give me a freakin' heart attack?"

Alphonse winced and Bish quieted down quickly enough, a frown marring her lips.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you like that." He apologized, and Bish instantly waved it off.

"Don't…don't worry about it, just don't do that again. I didn't even hear you come up. You're pretty sneaky."

He smiled. "I guess it's an old habit of mine. I am sorry, though."

"And I said, don't worry about it." She paused. "So, what's up?"

She returned next to his side and glanced at the town again. She faintly could hear shouts and roars of glee from somewhere in town and she figured it was a local pub. Jack and most of the crew might be there. Harper had left not too long ago, which the Hispanic woman was grateful for, but Cotton had stayed and Lupin had returned the parrot to its rightful owner.

"Mmm…nothing much. Today was…interesting."

"Interesting…how?"

Al paused before answering.

"Well…the people, the town…the language. It sounds very similar to Italian." He answered, glancing at Bish. She raised a brow.

"Oh? You know Italian?"

He nodded. "Yes. Brother taught me. But, he knows more French than I do and we can also speak German."

"Huh. That's…pretty cool. I can speak both English and Spanish fluently, but I guess you already know that." She answered and he smiled once more with a nod.

"It's a pretty langauge."

"Spanish?"

"Yes." He paused again. "Do you think…you could teach me?"

Bish blinked and stared. Wait… He wanted to learn Spanish. She blinked again and searched his face for a few moments. Al stared back, expectant of an answer before he spoke up again.

"It's all right if you don't feel like it, I'll understand…"

"No, no, no! I mean, I just…that kinda surprised me," She answered quickly. Well, it was an unexpected request. She had been wondering why Al was paying close attention to when she spoke in Spanish in the market today… "I guess I could teach you, but I've never taught anyone before."

"That's all right. Maybe you could teach me some basic things, like…colors or the parts of the ship?"

"Um…I don't really know the parts of the ship myself, because I don't really pay attention. Maybe parts of the body, like mouth or ears or the nose, but I don't know the ship." She replied, in all honest truth. She didn't really know the names of the places on the ship, or what everything was used for. Sails, yes, decks, maybe, but everything? No.

But, it didn't deter the amiable determination in his eyes and she had to smile at that. "But, I suppose I could take you under my wing and teach you the ways of the language."

And the light in his eyes shone brighter and she chuckled. "Well, come on, let's find some place comfortable to sit. I don't want to do this standing."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They had finally settled on using the main deck as their place to hold the Spanish lessons, mostly because Bish didn't want to go back downstairs quite yet. She tapped her chin, thinking. "So, what exactly do you want to learn today? I mean…I've never taught anyone Spanish."

Al tilted his head. "Not even to Lupin?"

"No. She's never really asked. I normally just give her translations out of habit, really. The only other language she knows, and very little I might add, is Japanese."

"Oh…" He paused a moment. "Well, how about something simple today? Colors and shapes, maybe?"

Bish slowly nodded, finding sense in his words. It wouldn't do to be making the lessons too difficult, but she figured, if he knew other languages and learned them fairly quickly, he'd be able to master Spanish soon enough. If she could teach Lupin the mastery of driving, she could teach Al Spanish. This would be cake. Taking in a breath slowly, she began to reel back to simple choices.

"Okay, let's start with…colors. Um…red is _rojo_, blue is _azul_…and yellow is _amarillo_. You got that?"

He nodded. "_Rojo_, _azul_, and _amarillo_. Red, blue, and yellow."

Satisfied, Bish nodded herself and continued, thinking of simple colors to start off with. "Green is _verde_, purple is _morado_, white is _blanco_ and black is _y negro_."

He raised a brow at that. "Technically, black is a shade, not a color and white is a combination of all colors in one."

Bish drew point blank before she shook her head. _Smart ass. You're just like your brother. _"Well, whatever, these are Spanish lessons, not art lessons. That would be Lupin's department, and you'd have to go to her for art lessons. Do you have it or do I have to repeat something?"

Al chuckled, confidence in his tone. "_Verde_, _morado_, _blanco_, and _y negro_. Green, purple, white and black."

The lesson continued, the night passing quickly, and the words continued past colors, shapes, animals, mannered words and parts of the body such as fingers, hands and arms. Bish was consistant, making sure Al was pronouncing and annunciating the words correctly, seeing as she was becoming a stickler for the proper pronounciation.

"Okay, okay, ah…you catch on pretty quick… Okay. Eyes…_ojas_—," She paused and pointed at her own and then Al's, "Nose is _narise_." Again, she paused and touched her own and then Al's, smiling a little when he did. He nodded.

"_Ojas_ and _narise_, eyes and nose." He repeated attentively, motioning to the eyes first and then the nose. She couldn't help it. It was cute and she broke out grinning, dipping her gaze away to her own hands, wringing themselves here and there before she realized what she was doing and she stopped, sighing.

"Hair is _pelo_, mouth is _boca_ and cheek is _cachete_. And my hair, is frizzed out. I want a bath…" She tugged lightly at her own frizzed, gnarled hair, and she thanked whatever God was smiling upon her for Lupin's quick thinking of grabbing her brush while she was down salvaging things from the _Black Jack_ a few weeks back. What month was it now? August? September? She'd have to ask Jack or something.

"_Pelo_, _boca_, _cachete_. Hair, mouth and cheek." Alphonse once again repeated, keeping in check the syllables and indicating to each object; his hair, mouth and cheeks. Bish nodded before a devious little idea sprouted in her mind. It was an innocent thought compared to others she could have settled upon and she grinned a little.

"Okay, one more tonight, and then no more."

Alphonse, raising a brow, nodded. "And that word would be…?" He asked, honestly curious and that smile graced his lips again before Bish chuckled.

"This," She replied before she leaned in and gave him a soft, chaste peck on the cheek. "is _beso_. Kiss."

Another chuckle bubbled past her lips before it was replaced with a sigh and she stood up, brushing off imaginary dust from her pants. "I think that's enough for tonight. Come on, let's go to bed now. I'm tired as hell…" With that said, she offered a hand to the quite still Alphonse. He blinked and stared at her, as if in disbelief before he slowly took the offered hand, unsure of what had happened.

A kiss on the cheek. Simple, innocent, and Bish pretended it never happened, although the laugh in her eyes and the warmth in her smile let him know that she knew it did. She was a sly one; devious, maybe, and he figured this was where Lupin got most of it from.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	12. Strolling on the Beach

**Chapter Eleven:  
Strolling on the Beach**

**Reviewers: **

**Kanika Meskhenet**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans._  
**- John Lennon**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish rolled over in her sleep and mumbled something incoherent, even to her ears and she blinked groggily, feeling a cool waft of air blow against her cheek and she groaned quietly. Sitting up and fumbling in the dark, she found her glasses and slipped them on, snuffling slightly before she yawned. It was early; the chill in the air told her so, but it wasn't terribly early. Bish could see the pale tendrils of sunlight filtering into the ship, pressing against the curtain.

Rolling her sore shoulders, Bish yawned again, glancing around and seeing that Ed was still sleeping, but Al and Lupin were gone. Of course, she'd expect Lupin to; she was making breakfast. Fumbling, Bish pulled on a jacket from the single suitcase she and Lupin were now sharing and rubbed her arms, shivering before she stopped after she started to get up and move around. Pushing away the curtain and crawling out, Bish clambered to her feet and began to uneasily move towards the galley, grumbling under her breath until she smelled something delicious and her hunger took over.

She found Al helping Lupin in the galley, stirring whatever was in the pot for her while the wolf cut up something that looked like a slab of fresh, red meat. Bish stuck out her tongue in utter disgust when she realized it was bloody meat as the wolf dumped it gently into the simmering pot. But, she did admit, it smelled good, just like her other dishes… And now there were fresher foods to cook with, which would only make it even more delicious. Bish was grateful that Lupin took over the cooking; the last person who had served the meals when they first arrived wasn't as good with cooking, and the food hadn't been as delectable…

"Morning." She finally said, announcing her presence. Lupin turned and grinned, while Al looked at her and smiled, nodding.

"Good morning, Bishie-Bish-Bishquet." Lupin chuckled.

"Good morning, Bishquet." Al greeted and Bish grinned.

"Smells good. What're you cooking this time?"

Lupin paused and wiped her hand on a clean rag, looking at the pot. "Um…truthfully? I'm going with the flow…I really don't know. I don't exactly have a recipe book and, uh…yeah. I don't know. I'm just going with the flow."

Bish stared at the wolf, point blank. "You…you're going with the flow…"

She nodded at her friend's inquiry and took the ladle from Al, thanked him for his help and then began to stir it much more quickly, looking in the contents before she moved the pot away from the fire on the grate. "Um…yeah. I don't know many recipes by heart, Bish… I want to make something else, but uh, yeah…"

Lupin laughed rather sheepishly and Al smiled as he passed Bish, almost as if to sympathize for the wolf before he disappeared. Bish looked over her shoulder to watch before turning back to the wolf. "Okay, well, you're not gonna serve the same damn boring thing on my watch. We're gonna go back into town and get some recipes for you to use."

The wolf, with her back to Bish, was nodding slowly before the muscles in her shoulders and back tightened and grew taut. She turned slowly and looked at her friend, blinking a few times, as if to comprehend what Bish had just said.

"Um…I sorry, what? We're going…_back_ into town?"

Bish nodded. "I'll be your translator again. I'll get you some recipes, and then you can make something new every once in a while so you don't have to worry about me beating your ass...or throwing you overboard because you won't serve something new. Whichever one comes first for me, I dunno."

Lupin blinked again slowly and she turned to stir the contents in the pot one last time before she cleared her throat. "Um…okay. But shouldn't we tell Jack first? I mean, he might wonder where we went…even if it is for just a few minutes…"

Bish rolled her eyes. "Okay, you know what, forget Jack for a moment, and let's just focus on a few things. Oh…"

"What? What's with the 'oh'? It didn't sound like a very good 'oh'." Lupin turned back to look at her friend, worry lines etched in her face.

"Um…you know what? I think I can do something useful on this ship without having to do so much hard labor." Bish answered thoughtfully. She almost grinned at her friend's obvious confusion and the wolf scratched the back of her head, blinking curiously at her.

"And, ah, that would be…?"

"I can be…a doctor."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Wait, a _doctor_? Is she _kidding_ me?"

"Yeah, that's what I WANTED to say, but, uh, I was afraid she'd…hit me." Lupin's lips twitched and she looked away. Ed stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"Do you think she could be any good at it?"

"Honestly? Better than me. She's got all the little CPR and 'find the pulse' training, not me. I never took that. I only took track and the only thing I had to avoid was dehydration and twisting my ankles or fucking up my knees. Or falling." Lupin answered, earning her another odd glance from Edward. She resisted smiling sadistically and settled with sighing as she shoved on her boots and downed the last of her breakfast.

"Mmm…anyway, Bish and I will be back in like, maybe an hour or two. If Jack comes back and stuff, just let him know, kay?"

Ed pursed his lips and she saw in his eyes that he wanted to say something to her, but he merely nodded. "Just get back as soon as you can. We can't just leave you and Bish behind…" He merely muttered and Lupin nodded twice before she jammed on her trench coat and shrugged it on her shoulders. Just as she was getting to leave, Ed called to her and she looked over her shoulder curiously.

For a moment, he didn't say anything, but merely studied her with his sharp, detailed eyes. "You any fast?"

Lupin stared at him, first uncomprehending before she smiled. "Like a fucking cheetah."

"Good. Means you can outrun anyone that tries to mess with you."

Lupin shrugged and turned to leave. "Nah. I think I'd rather kick their asses. I know a little martial arts here and there to get me by. Later."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Okay, so just a little cheese or a lot? I didn't quite…catch that." Lupin flit her gaze towards Bish and then the weathered old woman before her, smiled and scribbled something in her small journal; black, smooth and snakeskin designed. It was a journal she had bought the day of the seventh and final _Harry Potter_ book release a few years back. It contained character profiles, pictures, story ideas and plot devices for both fanfiction and original stories Lupin has been developing and writing for years now.

Now it was serving as a part-time recipe book and Bish was once again speaking rapidly in Spanish, Lupin looking a little more than clueless. The old woman looked to Lupin and made motions of small, repeating the same word a few times and Bish nodded.

"Just a little, you don't need a lot. Oh, and make sure you dry those red peppers in the sun for a few hours, she says. Grind out the little spices inside and sprinkle it over the top. She knows we're limited to the ship, but it should be relatively easy if you do it right. And, you are the bomb. You're a good cook."

Lupin chuckled and closed her notebook and put it in her little purse with its pins and buttons and hand-made beaded decorations. She inclined her head respectfully to the old woman, smiling and mumbling, "Gracias" to her before walking away with Bish.

"Not as good as your mama, or my own mama, though."

Bish bobbed her head. "True. But you're getting there. I can't cook for shit."

"Mmm…good thing I'm not a hazard, then. Anyway, is that it? We done?"

Bish tapped her chin thoughtfully before she nodded. "Oh, and we should look for a bathhouse. I know I saw one around here somewhere, but I can't remember where. We can get clean later." She wriggled in delight at her words and Lupin chuckled, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Sure, I'd like that. You know what; I'm gonna go take a stroll down the beach that's not too far from the docks. I'll meet you back at the _Pearl_ in a little while."

Bish hesitated and looked around, biting her lip a few times. "Walk me back first. I don't want to be left alone and maybe…" She paused. "Maybe you should take someone with you. I could go with you. I just need to change out of these shoes…" Bish looked down at her tennis shoes, worn, rugged and scuffed and dirtier than they would be in 2009. Lupin sighed quietly.

"I…I guess…I kinda wanted to walk alone, but if you wanna come, I don't mind."

Bish raised a brow as they started walking back. It was easier to locate the docks now than it had been yesterday. Lupin had a sharp mind and remembered where to go. Bish admitted that she would have been utterly and completely lost if she hadn't made the wolf memorize their path.

"Well, if you didn't want me to come, you just have to say so, hun. You don't have to act so modest about. But, in all honest opinion, I really think you should have someone come with you. I don't want anything to happen to you or anyone to just…kidnap you. I mean, a girl wandering around, alone, seemingly defenseless…easy target, babe."

Lupin sighed and nodded at the truth her friend spoke of. She had thought of it as well, and it was a factor she did not want to happen. "Take Ed; give 'em some sugar."

"…Wait, what?"

The dark-haired girl besides the wolf laughed and earned a few stares from the people around them as they passed. "I was kidding! God! But, seriously, I don't want you going alone. Just take Ed or someone with you. I know you want to take a walk by yourself, but we're in a foreign country and who knows what kind of sickos are running around? I'd feel better if I went with you or if you had someone who can…protect you. Or, something like that."

Lupin sighed heavily. As much as she wanted her way, she knew safety should come first and finally she nodded. "Well, if you want to come…"

"Actually…I've been, uh, teaching Al some Spanish and he'd probably want some lessons later today. So…really, that only leaves Ed. I'm not trying to push him on you or anything, but I don't trust any of the other guys on the ship to go with you. Maybe Jack or Gibbs, but they're probably trying to get rid of that big ass hangover right now in some bar or something. Seriously, the only other person I'd trust besides Jack is either Ed or Al. See if Ed will go with you."

Bish chuckled at her friend's indecisive expression and patted her gently on the shoulder.

"I'm only doing this for your own good, hun. I don't want anything to happen to you and we both know Ed can kick anyone's ass. Well…except Al's."

Lupin snorted back her own laughter and nodded. "Okay, okay, okay, I'll ask him when we get back. But I dunno if he'll come. I mean, he might run away." She joked. Bish chuckled.

"Put a leash on him." Bish threw back and Lupin faked an appalled expression on her face.

"Bish! He is not a dog!"

"Oh, that's right, he's your whore."

"…Okay, yeah—no. No, that's _mean_…" Lupin had to suppress her laughter but her grin showed her good humor. Bish rolled her eyes.

"Well, fine, I won't call him that. God, don't have a heart attack." Bish chuckled.

"I'm not gonna have a heart attack…" Lupin replied, before adding, "But, I doubt he'll want to come. I'll just hang out on the docks, then."

Bish sighed, exasperated. "You know, it doesn't hurt to try. Just ask him, okay. I know you really want to get out and walk around without being bumped by people and stuff, so you know what? If you don't ask him, I'll ask for you."

Lupin almost winced but instead nibbled on her lip before she sighed, nodding. "Okay, okay, I'll…I'll ask."

Bish reached over and patted her friend on the head. "Good wolf. Now, come on, I can see the docks."

Bish followed the wolf to the _Pearl_ and both tromped up the gangplank and the wolf averted her direction down to go below decks. However…Ed was up on the quarterdeck, staring out into the open waters. Alphonse was standing beside him, and Bish could see him talking to his older brother. Turning away, she made a grab for the wolf, who jerked away and snarled in surprise.

"Hey, hey, hey! He's up there! Why're you going down there? I thought you were gonna ask him!"

"I know he's up there, I'm gonna go change real fast, I'll be right back."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Slipping off the plain black t-shirt she had worn into town, Lupin stuck out her tongue in disgust at the sweat on her and wiped her brow before she tossed it into the suitcase beside her and began to rummage for her black tank top—of course, she always loved her black clothing, even in the ever sweltering heat—and just as she was beginning to become agitated at having not found it, the curtain was pulled back and she jumped in fright, thinking it was one of the crewmembers looking for her, or worse, Jack.

Crouching and covering her bra-covered chest, she blinked in surprise when she realized it was only Ed and he yelped, pulling the cover back.

"What the hell man, don't you knock?" She shouted angrily.

"Oh, _so sorry_, I didn't know it was a dressing room." He snapped back before adding, "And it's not like there was much to look at…" Lupin flushed and snarled silently to herself, making wringing motions with her hands, grumbling heatedly under her breath before she slipped on her tank top.

"Fine, I've got a shirt on, you perverted idiot."

Ed growled as he pushed back the curtain, meeting Lupin's heated gaze with his own. But, before he could retaliate against her comment, she growled to him in a low tone that made him shut up quickly, which made him realize his own mistake.

"Next time, make sure no one is changing." She grumbled moodily at him before she stooped over and began to close the suitcase and shoved it back into the cubby. Pulling out her book bag, she began to rummage through it, muttering here and there. Ed finally sighed.

"Look, Bish told me you wanted to talk to me about something before she stole my brother away. What is it?"

Lupin chuckled. "She didn't _steal_ him, per say, she's just…borrowing him without permission. You'll get him back later, she's just teaching him Spanish, I think."

She didn't see Edward blink in surprise, but from the odd silence emitting from him, she figured he was wondering why Al was taking Spanish lessons from Bish. Or, that's what she assumed. She sighed.

"Dammit, I can't find it…"

"Find what?"

Lupin glanced over her shoulder. "Nothing you need to worry about. Just…hang on a minute; I'll be out in a sec."

Reluctantly, he paused and waited a moment before he turned and left, the flutter of the curtain the only signal of his presence ever having been there. Satisfied, Lupin began to rummage once more and finally after a few curses here and there, she found what she wanted: a two-inch switch blade she had bought shortly after she and Bish came out to the Caribbean; her only defense mechanism in case of some sort of tiff and personally she was glad that she could carry a weapon without being reprimanded in this time period now.

Lacing up her boots, Lupin clipped it tightly against her left steel toe, tugged the camo army pants she chose to wear today over it and shoved her bag back into the cubby she shared with Bish. Tidying her corner up, she straightened up some books and one of them caught her eye. _Tithe_ by Holly Black, one of her more favored modern day fantasy books. She stroked the sea-ruined cover; the faerie wings faded and aged from sea and tide and years of use before she gently tucked it away, straightened up and tugged on her trench coat, pushing back the curtain.

Ed wasn't too far away, once again, quietly studying the interior of the ship with those calculating, sharp eyes of his. Lupin pursed her lips, and again she felt the guilt rise up tenfold inside of her. She was keeping the fact that she really knew him secret, and of course, Bish was following up on the wolf's example, but Bish didn't seem to think that it was that big of a deal.

"We're not the ones who published their lives to the world, Lupin. Why should they get angry at us?" She had retaliated grumpily after the wolf had told her again to not say anything that would give them away. Lupin had merely sighed wearily and shook her head.

"Because we're betraying their trust. They think that they're safe from us, from anyone here, but…they're not. WE know, and we're lying to them about it. They're practically…celebrities, if that's the right word, in our world, our time. Well, at least on the anime side of the industry, they are. We have to keep it hush-hush…"

Bish had still remained skeptical of it, but agreed to be careful when speaking to either of the boys, or the crew for that matter, seeing as Lupin had also reminded the Hispanic woman of her worries for Jack and his men.

Now, she felt that guilt continue to rise like bile in her throat and she forcibly swallowed her shame, hiding behind a smile and a mask over her face. "What're you thinkin' now?"

For a moment, Ed didn't answer, almost as if he hadn't heard her.

"Nothing much. I don't think you'd like it if I told you." He finally replied disinterestedly, looking up at the wooden planks above him. Lupin's curiosity was perked.

"Is it about your home back in…in 1926?"

He laughed, but it sounded bitter and Lupin winced. "Home? Al and I don't have a home. The last one we had…we burned it down to the ground."

The reminder left a sour taste in her mouth. _How could I forget that one?_

She resisted the urge to give him a kind word. Nothing she said would make him think any differently about homes or places or settlement. She knew he was more comfortable traveling, like a nomad. Traveling, adapting, living on the road… Although she didn't feel as meek in comparison, like she would have a few years before, she still felt a pang of sympathy go out towards him.

It was then that she noticed the clench in his jaw and the tightening reaction of his right fist; the left dipped in the pocket of his pants. Ed turned to her, and the tension left his body, but the fire never left his eyes as he studied her. Lupin shivered. She had honestly forgotten how intense his gaze could be.

It's been a while since she's actually watched the anime—_Or should I consider it a documentary?_ Lupin thought bitterly—_Fullmetal Alchemist_…at least a year or so, even if she had at last collected all fourteen DVDs, along with the manga and written novels. _I feel like a stalker now…_

"Bish told me you wanted to ask me something. So?"

At first, Lupin stared, clueless, before she slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead, groaning. "Oh, right, that… Um…"

Fiddling with the sleeve of her jacket she suddenly found interest in, Lupin nibbled on her lip and sighed. "Well, I…I wanted to take a walk down the beach. At first, Bish said it wouldn't have been a good idea to go on my own, considering that, well; you never know what might happen… But she was teaching Alphonse Spanish, so she said to either ask you or maybe Jack if he was here, and seeing as he's not…" Another sigh escaped her lips. _Wow, I feel like I'm asking him on a date. I feel really weird now._

"So, uh, do you want to take a walk for a little? Stretch some muscles, get rid of the restlessness, be on dry land for a while, maybe?"

Ed blinked in surprise at her sudden change in demeanor and tilted his head to the side, as if viewing her for the first time. Lupin fidgeted.

"Well? You gonna answer me or not, ponytail boy?" She finally grunted and he narrowed his eyes.

"Who're you calling names?" He grumbled, staring at her moodily. She sniffed pointedly in return.

"I am, now are you gonna answer me or not? Bish won't let me go if I don't have someone come with me." Lupin answered.

He raised a brow. "And why are following her every word, huh? She's your friend, not your boss."

Lupin bristled at the accusation, her defensive instincts kicking in before she settled down, grudgingly. _Don't get mad, don't get mad, don't get mad…just…breath, just breath._

Sucking in the salty, damp and briny air, Lupin calmed and Ed noticed as she slowly settled.

"You're right. She is my friend, but she's only looking out for me. Kind of like how you'd look out for your brother, right?" Cool, levelheaded and calm; the aim she was trying to keep. She didn't need to lose control now. Not when she had just recently made amends for the last squabble she had just gotten out of with Edward. She was older now, and almost an adult.

Ed once again refrained and reserved himself, hiding behind a blank face as he studied her and Lupin found herself averting his gaze. It was starting to feel very awkward trying to keep his gaze when he did that. _I'm not a lab animal, dammit, so stop staring at me like I am one! _

"Yeah, I guess I can understand. She's just looking out for you…" He finally sighed. "I…guess I can go out for a little while, since Al's preoccupied now. Not much to do anyways with everyone gone. I wonder what the hell they're doing that it takes so damn long to do…"

"Wenching, and drinking alcoholic beverages." Lupin stated bluntly, quickly. Ed looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. "I'm a history nerd, remember? I…liked to study about piracy, so I know a bit of my fair share of what most of their lifestyle is like…" She answered sheepishly with another shrug. He made a soft, "Oh", with his lips and nodded, understanding.

Lupin then strolled past him towards the stairs that would lead top deck and paused, looking back. "Coming?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"So…what exactly were you and Bish doing out in the Caribbean before you…ended up here?"

Lupin paused as she stooped over and picked up a small shell, turning its gritty, sandy shell over to expose the pink and cream underside, dipped it back in the oncoming water and felt the sand wash away easily, being swept back into the tide. She pocketed the shell. "I'm not telling you anything until you tell me something about you and Al. Think of it as an equal trade, savvy?"

She heard Ed chuckle beside her and she grumbled, looking up at him from the corner of her eye. _That's not fair, you're taller than me. Given, only a few inches, but still! _

"That's kinda funny…me and Al would have called it 'equivalent exchange'."

_I know, I know…_ She mumbled mentally, almost feeling the frown cross her lips, but she stopped in time before Ed noticed anything. There weren't many people on the beach. Perhaps one or two, but otherwise, it was deserted. The edges of Lupin's pants were being lapped against softly by what water could reach them, but otherwise, she kept away from the water, Ed on her right. They walked farther down the beach, farther away from the docks, but she knew they'd reel back around before it was too far.

But, for now, she'd have to feign innocence and she inquired again. It was interesting to hear it from the person themselves instead of watching it from a camera position, and she wanted to hear it from HIM. But, she didn't want it dragged out forcefully; she wanted it to come willingly.

Ed grunted softly. "Well…I'll tell you a little…" He finally answered, and before Lupin could get that gleeful look in her eye, he added quickly, "But after I'm done, you tell me about you and Bish…_savvy_?"

Hearing that word come from his mouth caught Lupin off guard and Ed knew it. He grinned in response to her flabbergasted expression and she shook it off. "Show-off."

He shrugged. "Okay…well…I don't want to tell you too much, but…" Ed paused. "We were looking for something. A weapon of some kind; I dunno if you've ever heard of it, though, in your time. It was a type of powerful bomb and it could have been dangerous in the wrong hands…"

Lupin pursed her lips and her eyes darkened over. She felt the debating tug inside of her, pulling and yanking on whether she should tell him about what had happened in 1945. At first, she remembered telling herself that she shouldn't, that it would have been better if he remained in the dark, but… But he had a right to know about that at least, didn't he?

He noticed her silence and frowned. He stopped walking and sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Guess you have, huh? Dammit, I should've known…"

"I guess I should tell you something…" Lupin shook her head, and licked her lips. "Ed, this…this weapon is a firecracker compared to what's going to be made…"

Nervousness set in and she saw his hungry eyes turned on her, questioning and demanding all at once. _Great, now I can't stop, can I? He'll hound me until I tell him…_

"In…in 1945…two bombs will be dropped in one country…atomic bombs…" She almost looked away from his shocked and grieved face but held his gaze. _No sacrifice, no victory._ The words echoed in her mind, a favored movie line she liked from one her joys, _Transformers_. "But…if…when we get back to our right places, I want you to promise me you won't try to stop those bombs."

She saw him jolt, wanting to protest, but she held up her hand, taking a step forward. A wave sprayed against her leg, but she ignored it.

"I know…it's hard, but these bombs will help end a second world war. I'm sure you're familiar with the first one, right? Please, Ed…I know it's hard to ignore, and people will die, but…" She trailed off and saw his eyes harden over and he looked away, his hands on his hips and she couldn't see his face any longer. Her throat tightened and she swallowed thickly. "Ed…"

He didn't make any physical recognition that he heard her. "So…you just want us to ignore it? Let it go? Just _let it happen_?"

Lupin closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath before she nodded. "Yes. You…if you go back and mess with things…it'll change the future, yours, mine, and everyone else's. The slightest, seemingly insignificant changes can have the direst consequences. Please…"

Lupin heard her own voice and couldn't help but feel pathetic, no matter how much she tried to tell herself that she was doing the right thing, however wrong it seemed. Calmly, she tried to keep her breathing leveled and still, Ed wouldn't face her. _Are you ashamed of me? Or scared? Look at me when I'm talking to you, dammit!_ She wanted to yell, but Lupin refrained from doing so.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he turned to face her and she saw a familiar mask she normally saw Bishquet wear on his face; a blank, unreadable slate and Lupin felt the regret build up inside; worse and more powerful than the remorse she felt earlier. She let out a shaky breath and drew in a strong one.

She knew he wanted to say something, but…but what? Did he hate her for telling him what she did? It unnerved her and she wanted to say something, but she felt unsure of what to say and how to say it. Finally, she could only find the strength to sigh, disappointed and crestfallen.

Ed continued to watch at her intently before he simply shook his head and turned to traipse back down the beach without a word. Lupin's shoulders sagged helplessly as she watched him go and she said nothing in return. She said nothing and watched him leave before she cast her gaze to view the footprints in the sand; untouched and undisturbed while her own had disappeared long ago.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	13. Pressure

**Chapter Twelve:  
Pressure**

**Reviewers: **

**Kuorami**

**Liah Cauthon **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO  
**_  
A decision without the pressure of consequence is hardly a decision at all.  
_**- Eric Langmuir **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish paced worriedly, looking down at the gangplank every once in a while, her face screwed up in anxiety, clearly showing her agitation and apprehension. Grumbling to herself, she muttered a few choice curses here and there, wondering what those two idiots had said to each other now. Ed had come back not too long ago, with no Lupin to boot, and he had refused to speak to either her or Alphonse. Now Al was trying to pry the truth from his older brother and Bish was left alone to wonder where her friend was, if she was all right, if she was coming back…

And to make matters worse, the crew was slowly, ever so slowly trickling back, some by themselves, others in pairs and the sun was setting. She whispered things to herself, self-reassurance that Lupin was fine, she was coming back, she wasn't harmed in any way, be it physical or mental and that she'd kick Ed's ass later for leaving Lupin alone like he had when he had come back, alone.

Finally, when she found the resolve to just go herself and find Lupin, Jack came swaying up the gangplank in that familiar swagger to his drunken step and Lupin was glued to his side, face blotchy and tear-streaked. One of his bejeweled hands had a green bottle with sloshing liquid inside that Bish identified as rum automatically, even without needing to smell or taste it. Just as the pirate was offering her friend the bottle, she came stomping over and suddenly yanked Lupin away from Jack's side, not overly surprising him, but he took a few unsteady steps away from the vehement Hispanic woman. Immediately, his eyes flashed as he recognized the danger and fire in the air and slowly, he proceeded to back away, allowing Bish to take it from there.

But, that did not stop him from glancing over his shoulder briefly to check up on the two as he saw Bish begin to chew the wolf out, practically screaming at the girl on where she had been and why. Jack Sparrow had to wince, and he swore, he's never heard that sort of mouth on any other woman asides from Anamaria. He knew quite well to steer clear of an enraged woman, although he'd be lucky if they'd steer clear of him when they're mad…especially at him.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"You didn't _COME BACK_! I was worried sick about you when Ed came back alone and you had the _**AUDACITY TO**_ _**STAY OUT**_! What in the hell is wrong with you, Lupin?"

Calmly, her friend listened to Bishquet chew her out, knowing full well she deserved it. Deliberately, she had chosen to wander back into town after Ed had left her alone on the beach, looking for Jack, although knowing him, he had probably taken up an alias so as to throw off any and all naval forces that would stop at nothing to get their hands on a pirate. So, sensibly, she started asking around—however vain it was an attempt, seeing as no one spoke any English, except for maybe a word or two—using names such as Swallow or Nightingale and then she started using descriptions. Beads, braids, leather tricorn hats and red scarves…

In the end, she finally found him in a pub called _Las Noches Fuertes_, and although silent at first, she quietly told Jack that she had a fight with Ed. Even though she was skimpy on details, Jack had quietly allowed her presence to stay until he finally chose to leave, although faintly Lupin had noticed how he had eyed some women loitering in the pub, flashing more skin and the tops of their breasts to the other men in the bar than the normal woman would in this time and age.

Again, she had taken to silence, although tears occasionally would leak from the corners of her eyes and spill down her cheeks, she wiped them away. Rarely, she could remember being able to cry quietly and she prefered it over the loud, heaving sobs she normally had to dish out, accompanied by uncontrollable hiccups that followed after.

And now, she somehow found herself back at the _Black Pearl_ and immediately, as expected, Bish had tore into her, ignoring those around them. It was only after Bish had finished her rant that she finally calmed down, breathed and recollected herself once more.

"Lupin…what happened? Come on, you know you can tell me." She said softly after a few minutes of silence. Lupin almost didn't want to meet her gaze, but Bish bore her own into the side of Lupin's face until the wolf turned to look. Red-rimmed, tear stained and guilt and pain riddled her friend's face. She sighed.

"I…I told him. About 1945…about what happened in 1945. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the bomb droppings…" She sniffled, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her trench coat. Breathing in deeply, Lupin shuddered and Bish waited patiently. Pushing and prodding forcibly wouldn't make the answers come any faster.

"And…I told him he and Al can't go and try to change it because it would hurt the future and not just yours and mine, but theirs and the world's as well. I…" She paused and coughed, sniffling once more. Bish frowned deeply and put a comforting hand on the wolf's shoulder. "I told him because I thought he had a right to know!" She moaned quietly, latching onto her friend and burying her face against Bish's shoulder. "I thought he had a right to know…I thought I was doing the right thing telling him…"

Her last words barely came in a whisper and Bish almost couldn't make them out as she stroked the wolf's head. Quietly, she sat in silence after the wolf stopped talking before she inhaled slowly. "Oh, hun…I don't…I really don't know. Maybe you shouldn't have said anything. I think that would have been best…"

Lupin merely sat still in her older friend's embrace, feeling the only reassurance in this place coming from Bish's words and physical touch. She was the only thing that kept her from going insane and she couldn't help but think it ironic that in all the fanfiction she's written with Bish and her in it, that it eventually would have happened someday, literally with just the two of them. But now…she just wanted to go home to where her family was, and she knew all too well, Bish was wishing the same damned thing.

Dinner call came and went and somehow, the scent of food came wafting in the air. Curious, Bish told Lupin to just sit and stay, to wait for her while she went to check it out and she trotted below decks, down the all too well known trail that led to the galley. Shock left her gaping. Al was cooking. The greasy grate was burning with a fire underneath, one of the large pots on top, simmering with whatever food inside.

He caught her eye, but didn't smile at her like normal, although faintly she saw him try. He sighed and she felt a pang of pain, and suddenly put two and two together, realizing Edward must have told him. It was a harsh blow, but Lupin thought she had been doing the right thing and Bish somehow couldn't find the resolve to blame her friend. "Al…"

"She didn't mean to make brother upset, did she?" He asked quietly, pausing in the work that he temporarily took over for Lupin. It was still a shock to Bish that he was doing such a favor…but then again, no one wanted to starve for the night. She sighed.

"No…no, she didn't. Lupin thought she was doing the right thing by telling him the truth. She didn't know it would have upset him, and in turn…you. And right now…she's crying her eyes out because she's feeling horrible about it. She came back with JACK, of all people. I thought she had been…" Bish clamped her mouth shut and the sentence trailed off, and Al seemed to understand. He merely nodded at her words but then turned away. Bish pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry. Lupin…Lupin's sorry too. She didn't mean to make anyone upset…"

Al turned back and a smile was on his face, but it held a glum pang to it and Bish quieted down again. "I know she most likely didn't mean to say anything harmful, Bish…but that doesn't lessen the pain of her words." Bish bit at her bottom lip and lowered her gaze. "Just give them some space for the night. I'm sure they'll both cool down by tomorrow…" He added and she nodded. She heard him sigh softly. "Could you let everyone know that dinner will be done in about ten minutes?"

The slight elevation in his voice gave her a tinge of hope and she lifted her head back up and smiled softly, nodding. "Sure…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The moon hung low in the sky, but it was nearly full and lit the sands pearly white under its silvery gaze. Lupin stared out glumly, the conversation between herself and Edward still running through her mind like some movie reel on a never-ending loop. It wasn't until Bish bumped her arm purposefully that she finally sighed and went back to eating her cold meal, finished it off and set the bowl down. It let out a metallic ring as it clunked against the wood.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Bish finally said. Lupin remained silent, but she nodded mutely, breathing deeply. Bish frowned, unperturbed by the quietness on her friend's end. "Loopy…"

"I…I know, Bish. I'm just…trying to…to figure how to apologize."

"YOU did NOTHING WRONG. If you go and apologize for nothing, then you know what? You're just gonna be apologizing for stupid things for the rest of your life over NOTHING. You're sorry, but for telling the truth?'

"…Yes."

Bish exhaled loudly through her nose and shook her head once more. "Loopy…you're beating yourself up now. Just…stop, okay? Why don't you go and get some sleep. You gotta be up early to make breakfast."

Lupin's lips twitched and she opened them to say something more, but thought better of it and just nodded mutely once more and got up and left as quietly as she could. Bish watched her go before turning back to listen to the waves lap up against the _Pearl_'s hull.

The men of the ship had once again left, but Jack had stayed. In an odd sense, it was a relief to have the captain back on the ship. She honestly did not trust many of the men on this ship, aside from the faces that had been here throughout the first movie…even if she couldn't really remember anything from the first movie, let alone the second or third. That, she reminded herself, was Lupin's department of knowledge. So was this time period and its history.

Sighing deeply, Bish groaned before she too got up and left to stumble her way down to the forecastle where she and everyone else slept…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was way too early for it to be time to get up…

Lupin rolled over and willed for whoever the fuck was shouting to shut the fuck up so she could get some sleep. It would be at least another hour or two before she had to get up. But the droning somewhere outside wasn't on the _Pearl_, it was on some other ship and apparently, they didn't have any courtesy or manners for the sleeping. _We're in here, you ass, just shut up, __**please**__…_

Another few minutes passed but Lupin couldn't shut out the shouting, the yelling, and the calls… Finally, sitting up and letting the soft blanket she had bought in town—Bishquet had bought another blanket, just as soft, but more vibrant and colorful than Lupin's darkly toned one—Lupin rolled over and twisted to crane her neck and view the cubby. It was too dark, however, to see anything past her nose and she moaned quietly in her throat, whining to herself like a pathetic child.

Her hand scuttled through the darkness, and she groped for her bag and as quickly and gently as she could, Lupin pulled it out and began to fumble for her iPod, stuck in her laptop's waterproof cover sheet. Strongly, her book bag smelled of sea water and she was thankful that it had survived, as did some of her most favored books and artwork, but she was pissed as hell that her Gameboy SP, cell phone and few other electronic devices had died.

Finally, after a grumbled curse here and there, Lupin found it and slipped in the earphone nubs and shoved the book bag into its place and began to search through her albums of music, frowning, as she couldn't decide. Finally, she chose _Evanescence_, her muse and musical love. _Anything For You_ rang softly in her ears and she closed her eyes, lying back down.

"_I'll believe all your lies  
__Just pretend you love me  
Make believe  
__Close your eyes  
I'll be anything for you…_"

For the next hour, however, instead of drifting off to blissful sleep, Lupin lay awake and aware—or about as aware as she could be, what, with music blasting in her ears—of the world around her, knowing each and every soft pitch of the ship, the tide and the ebb and flow of the water against the _Black Pearl_…

Finally, after an hour or so passed, Lupin sat up, already awake before anyone else, and stretched as best she could, given her limited space, yawning. Cracking her neck, the wolf pulled her jacket up from its crumpled heap where it had lain as a pillow for her head and half-standing, half-crouching, she jerked the sleeves on and threw it over her shoulders before slipping out of the cubby and stretching her back.

The salty tang in the air was a familiar scent to her now, just as mountain and desert air was hers to know and love. Music still played in her ears and for once, she didn't want to hide her iPod, her music box. Clipping it onto her belt loop, she began to make her way to the galley. Not all the men were back, only Jack, if she remembered correctly. She only needed to cook for about five or six people now.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"_Lost in a dying world  
__I reach for something more  
I have grown so weary  
__Of this lie I live…_"

The singing was deliberately soft, not attracting or meriting that much attention, but the smell of food did merit plenty of attention. Normally, he didn't like to wake up in the early morn, but today was an exception. The hurricane had taken quite a few precious supplies, and restocking them was a matter of urgency if they were to continue by tomorrow. But the nights were tempting and seductive, what with the call of drink and pleasurable company…

At least the food was restocked first. And they had a decent cook, who knew what they were doing. Lupin: young, energetic, presumptuous, and sharp as a tack. He was strongly reminded of a younger Elizabeth Swann. And again, she was singing. Something he faintly recognized in Lizzie. But the songs she sang were…different. Different from the sea shanties Elizabeth was familiar with, whilst Lupin was more familiar with… Well, he didn't know what to call them. The melodies were a little more than…haunting, if that word was correct to describe them.

"_Meet me after dark again  
And I'll hold you  
I am nothing more than to see you there…  
And maybe tonight  
We'll fly so far away  
We'll be lost before the dawn…_"

Then the singing stopped and Jack's lips twitched. Interest did perk him to the song, but unlike with Lizzie, he would not push it along with Lupin. She was stubborn, he recalled, and even if he tried to pull 'Captain' on her, she would remain tight-lipped and on her guard. Just as her friend was, something she obviously picked up from Bishquet.

Finally, after some time of being unnoticed—considered he had kept himself to the shadows—Jack cleared his throat purposefully and stepped into the soft candlelight, the wolf's back to him. Resting a hand on the butt of his pistol, he swayed on the spot for a moment, waiting. Lupin finally turned to him and bristled in surprise before she calmed.

Jack tilted his head to the side, curious. Something was stuck in her ears. No wonder she didn't hear him and notice right away. Reaching up, she tugged on of the things out and it dangled on a white line, connected to the other. She studied him for a moment, and faintly, he heard singing from somewhere. It took Jack another moment to figure out it was coming from the objects that were in her one ear and dangling over her chest.

"Hey." She greeted nonchalantly. Jack nodded.

"Mornin', luv. Smells good."

She shrugged. "I guess. Not making that much this morning."

Turning her back to him, she tucked the white object away, notched against her ear instead of in it and she stirred the contents within the pot once more. For a few moments, Jack merely stood there, a presence residing over one of his own crewmembers before he cleared his throat once more. "Do you…need any help?"

"No. I've got it. It's almost done, Cap'n. I'll have it finished in a few minutes."

He noticed her veiled tone. She was still aching from whatever argument she and the elder lad, Ed, had had last night. He turned on the spot and without a word, left her to her own devices. Whatever it was, he was not to interfere. They would have to worry about their own for now and if it did come down to him needing to step forward, then so be it.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Hun, we stink, they stink, and we're going. Plus, it'll be a good chance to make amends for being an evil bitch."

Lupin stared point blank at her friend's determined face before she shook her head. "You go ahead. I don't—,"

"I refuse to sleep next to you if you smell like sweat and grease. We need to go find that bathhouse and we need to be clean. I dunno about you, but I seriously don't want my hair to be any nastier than it is. Things nest in it." Bish nodded, all seriousness in her eyes. Then they softened and she stuck out her lip, pouting. "Pleeeeaaassse, Loopy? If you don't want the idiot to come, that's fine with me, then just the two of us will go. We'll go, get clean and come right back! You know you wanna feel clean before we go, I know you do…"

Bish waggled her brows at the indecisive wolf, who tried ever so hard to try and not smile at her friend's theatrics before she cracked a smile and finally nodded. "Okay, okay…we'll go and get clean…"

"Do you want the boys to come or no? I know you're not exactly mad with Ed, but you should at least try to make amends, even if it's stupid and all you did was tell the truth. I mean, you shouldn't really apologize, you didn't do anything wrong, really. He should be saying sorry for acting like an ass to you and leaving you alone like he had yesterday."

Patting her friend affectionately on the shoulder, Bish stood and rubbed her neck, groaning. "I feel so sore…I hate this…next time we're staying next to land, let's get a hotel…"

"Bish, a word to the wise…the beds are mostly moldy straw and there's bugs crawling in them. It'd be better to sleep on a dirt path than there."

For a moment, Bish didn't answer her, but simply stopped rubbing her sore neck, turned and looked at Lupin with a sickened expression painted on her face. She shook her head, eyes narrowed at the wolf. "You disgust me."

Lupin shrugged. "S' true and if you don't believe me, wake up with lice in your hair if you so deem it next time we make port for a few days at a time."

Bish muttered lowly under her breath, and Lupin found it easier to smile at making her friend think twice about renting out a room for the night somewhere on land. It was simple logic, really and common sense. Cheap hotels and inns did not have expensive furniture within their rooms and thus would use straw for bedding. Bugs and other disgusting little things become attracted to the mold and decay when someone didn't change the bedding and thus, bed bugs, literally. Lupin was maybe being paranoid, and she might have been wrong, but personally, she didn't want to risk it with her head or her friend's head. It only spelled trouble, with a capital T.

And it was better to be paranoid than ignorant.

"Well? You gonna answer my question or not?" Bish finally huffed and Lupin blinked, snapping herself out of her thoughts.

"Oh…that…" She paused, hesitant in her own answer herself before she sighed. "I…I guess they should come. I'm sure they'd like to get clean, too."

Bish grinned and clapped her hands together, nodding as if approving of the wolf's answer. "Good. I was afraid you'd say screw it, because I found out where that bathhouse is out of Jack earlier. It's not far from where we are now. I'll go and talk to them to see if they'll come and if not…we'll just knock them out and drag them there and have to clean them ourselves."

Lupin hid her laughter at her friend's devious smile and ducked her face from view. "O-okay, then…you do that. I'll just go and get an extra pair of clean clothes to change into, then…"

Nodding, Bish once again attained that look like she was approving of Lupin's answers. Turning, she walked off to find the Elric brothers, once again, leaving Lupin top deck, alone.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"The hell I'm going, I'm fine. I don't need to take a bath."

Bish narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits and pursed her lips into a thin line, hiding them from their full extent. "Alphonse, does your brother smell?"

"Er…" Al blinked in surprise at having been suddenly thrown into the fray and he resisted from fidgeting and scratched the back of his head when Edward looked to him, as well did Bishquet. "That is to say…maybe brother does smell a little?"

"Al!"

Bish grinned in victory and Ed almost winced at her triumphant expression.

"Traitor…" He grumbled moodily and Bish sighed dramatically, patting him on the head. He swatted at her hand and she retracted with smooth reflexes.

"Don't be so glum about it, you idiot. You'll be thanking me when you don't smell like sweat and ass, now come on." Bish stated with a matter-of-factly tone, standing up as she did so. Edward made no move to getting up and Al stared down at his brother, who sat curled up in his cubby corner.

"Is she coming?"

The two paused and Bish looked to Al for a split second, and then back at Ed. "Yes. She is. She wants to be clean, too you know. She has a right, but just because she's coming doesn't mean you should detain yourself from that same right." She let the sentence sink in before adding, "She was only telling the truth and you had a right to be mad about it, yes, but not a right to be mad at HER. SHE wasn't the one who did anything wrong."

Turning, she made to leave and Al stayed glued to the spot, surprised and amazed at Bish's bold words before she stopped once more and looked to the two of them.

"And I think you should apologize for leaving her alone like you did yesterday, too. What would have happened if she was kidnapped or killed because you left her alone, Ed? Then what?"

Bish knew her words were harshly truthful and they did spring up the possibilities of many 'what if's', but Ed needed to know he had been wrong, even if he won't admit it. So, she finally left and went to find the wolf, and she found her on the quarterdeck, conversing with Jack, who seemed to be relaying some story about an island and sea turtles.

Not all too curious, she signaled for Lupin to come along, and she quietly said good-bye to Jack and left the pirate's side, throwing an apologetic smile over her shoulder towards him before disappearing down the steps.

"What in the hell were you two talking about?"

"Oh, he was talking about, uh, his story on that island Barbossa marooned him on. He was trying the sea turtle story on me, but I think he knew I wasn't buying into it."

"That's because he was piss-faced drunk for three days, not being rescued by sea turtles." Bish rolled her eyes and Lupin giggled before it died down in her throat.

"Did you ask them?"

Bish nodded. "I dunno if they're coming, though. But…I did give Ed an earful for you, if that counts for anything."

Lupin shrugged. "I'm gonna go get some clean jeans, hun. I need to get out of these pants…"

"What about your shirt?"

"What about it?" Lupin blinked.

"…Never mind, just go get your pants, crazy."

"Like a fox!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Somehow, in some crazy way, Edward did not know how or why he was here, of all places. He could have left after his fight with Lupin… Well…actually, it wasn't much of a fight; it was…a confession, really. And what was to stop him from just leaving after what Bishquet had told her? He wanted to say stubbornness and a want to go home…but he had no home. He almost wanted to laugh at that thought. Home? What home? There is no home…

There was only Noa waiting, worried and anxious for a return that would result in who knows how long a business travel this pirate was so anxious to get done with. Do pirates even have business with regular people in these times? Ed sighed and blankly stared at the otherwise emptying streets, Alphonse characteristically by his side as Bish was once again, in the lead, and Lupin trailing behind her. He stared at the back of the shorter brunette's head and he couldn't find that reserved anger he had had yesterday evening with her; none at all to call upon, nothing whatsoever.

"_She was only telling the truth and you had a right to be mad about it, yes, but not a right to be mad at HER. SHE wasn't the one who did anything wrong. And I think you should apologize for leaving her alone like you did yesterday, too. What would have happened if she was kidnapped or killed because you left her alone, Ed? Then what?_"

Those words echoed within the confines of his mind and he sighed quietly to himself, seeing truth in Bish's words. Lupin was only telling him what she thought was the right thing to tell him, however harsh it seemed.

"_So…you just want us to ignore it? Let it go? Just _let it happen_?" _

"_Yes. You…if you go back and mess with things…it'll change the future, yours, mine, and everyone else's. The slightest, seemingly insignificant changes can have the direst consequences. Please…"_

He remembered how shaky her voice had been, pleading him to just listen… _Dire consequences…like what, exactly? People's lives will be saved if that…abomination isn't created. _

It left a sour taste in his mouth at how Lupin had answered him, but the anger didn't build up or come back. It was from realizing that she was right. She had also mentioned that the bomb would help end a second world war. _I knew it…another meaningless war, but over what? Who won? Who lost?_

Ed yearned for the truth, but frankly, he didn't know if Lupin would speak to him after he left her alone. But it wasn't like she was a six year old, for God's sakes; she was nineteen! She could…run off or defend herself or whatever! She got back, so why did he have to be chewed out for something that _could_ have happened, but never did?

_Kidnapped or killed…unlikely._ He snorted mentally. _There's no point in fretting over it or getting so worked up about it. She came back, shouldn't that be something in itself?_

Although, coming back with Jack, of all people… Well…he was familiar company. Perhaps she felt more at ease with him instead of the other crewmembers and personally…Ed couldn't really blame her. Sighing once again, Ed once again reeled back to how in the world he had come here, how come he's not leaving. But once he put some more thought behind it…he didn't have a clue whom he could trust, and how to get himself and his brother back home. And if what Lupin had said were true, not many would believe his or his brother's story about where they came from.

They'd be at risk of just getting themselves hung for spouting wild tales… And accusations seemed worth enough to kill someone during these times. But piracy was worse. Much worse, even if someone were simply brushed in association with pirates, could be hanged. It wasn't a good situation and with his luck…

Ed titled his head back up towards the sky and stared up at the sky for a few long moments, as if trying to define a sign from the blue skies. He frowned and then lowered his gaze back down to find that they were stopped and for a moment, he stared blankly, confused.

Then he realized that they were there, at the bathhouse.

_…Oh joy._

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	14. Breaking the Tension

**Chapter Thirteen:  
Breaking the Tension**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Also, for those of you who wish to know, ideologically, any updates pertaining to **_**Up is Down **_**(since I'm erratically inconsistent thus far with this story, as well as my others), I have created a LiveJournal that pertains exclusively to my fanfiction. If you have any questions that are strictly for the story, please ask away on my LiveJournal. :3 I'll answer to the best of my abilities; I may even throw in sneak peak previews for the next chapter every now and then (aka, I most likely will just to tease and appease y'all, so be sure to either get a LJ or add me so you can remain updated if you already have one). :3 **

**http : / disturbedofmind. livejournal. com/**

**You know what to do with the link. :D **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_I now know that there is much more to gain in the world than a paycheck.  
_**- Anonymous**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was a low-rising building, built out of sturdy-looking dark wood. And apparently, timber was an expensive trade during the eighteenth century, if Lupin recalled correctly. She stared at the surprisingly strong structure and felt her shoulders stiffen.

"Hey, uh, Bishquet, are you sure we're allowed here?" She asked suddenly, earning her an odd look from Bish.

"Yeah, why?"

"O-oh, nothing…I dunno. I didn't think women were allowed in bathhouses…"

Bish snorted at her friend's sudden insecurity. "Pffft, they'd better let us in, we look dirtier than the inside of my car and that's saying something."

Lupin smiled at the Hispanic woman's good spirits. She couldn't blame her; they were about to become clean…if they didn't get kicked out, that is. Pulling her friend gently, Lupin drifted along, faintly checking over her shoulder to make sure the boys were following. Always, whenever they went into this town, Lupin noticed that they had a habit of dawdling behind, but they weren't drinking in the scenery like she first believed. No, they looked more to be deep in thought, more Edward than Alphonse. She sighed and turned back to Bish.

"Aha! Here's the front, come on, I knew we'd find it. Come on, come on, come on! We can get clean!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was very humid within the bathhouse and distinctly; Lupin could hear people shouting in Spanish, obviously, and secretly, she wished for a little more English here and there. Snippets, even. She sighed and followed Bish, who went to meet with the person in charge of the bathhouse. It was a stout old crone, hunched over with a gnarled cane in her iron-vice grip. Her eyes were bright and alert, despite her old-looking age and she nodded, her leathered and worn face taut as she stared attentively at Bish, who spoke fluently in the native language of this country.

Then the old crone shifted her shawl over her shoulders and nodded once again before she began to murmur rapidly in the language and Lupin stood off to the side, not close to the boys. She felt awkward all of a sudden, and she wished she weren't there, anywhere near them. Lupin did feel horrible for making Ed upset, but she just kept repeating to herself what Bish had told her earlier: _I did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong…_

It still didn't make her feel better, though. But the words kept her from bolting out of there, embarrassed, or whatever she was feeling. When Bish finally turned back to her, the wolf felt like she was in a daze when her friend was explaining the rules and faintly, she felt her mind automatically soaking it in, even if she wasn't fully aware of it.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Hun, you've got to come out some time, you know."

Bish stared at the flimsy and stained curtain, worn and frayed, but still in one whole piece, and in the small wooden stall was her friend, clad in naught but a towel. Or, so Bish hoped; the girl seriously needed to get clean…well, almost as badly as her hair. Thick it was, and she feared something was trying to make a nest in it already if she didn't clean it now.

She was, at the moment, bearing her own towel around her curvy body, keeping it pressed firmly in one fist, keeping it from collapsing on itself and showing any skin more than necessary at the moment. She faintly spotted her rose tattoo from out of the corner of her eye, imprinted on her right shoulder.

It was the same rose design as that on the cover one of her most beloved stories, _Kushiel's Dart_ by Jacqueline Carey. It had been a personal gift to herself when she had turned twenty-one last year and she had been proud of it ever since. She sighed and absently ran a hand over the sharp and graceful designs of the tattoo, the stem figure twining and overlapping elegantly over one another. The crimson stood starkly out against her smooth caramel skin and she felt a smile touch her lips before she shifted her towel once more.

She avoided catching any stray strings of the towel against her left nipple piercing; this wasn't the most comfortable towel's she's used before it; it wasn't exactly terry cloth design or anything. It was rather scratchy, but it still covered the essentials and that's all that mattered.

"I'm not coming out…" Lupin finally said, her voice quiet and defiant like that of a stubborn child. Bish rolled her eyes.

"Lupin, do you want to get clean?"

"…Yes."

"Then come out because you're not leaving this place until you're scrubbed clean. It's not the same luxuries as home or the _Black Jack_ or whatever you called that damned boat—,"

"Ship." Lupin sternly corrected from behind the flimsy curtain. Bish glanced at it again and noticed the pale lacey frills here and there, a few moth eaten spots discernable from its state.

"…Ship, but having water to use to bath off all that sea crust from you is better than no water at all. Just…don't drink your bath water, okay?"

She heard a snort of laughter from Lupin's behalf and grinned herself. Sticking a hand through the sides, she poked her friend, and it felt to be a shoulder. "Come on, wolfie-wolf… Come on, you know you wanna be clean. I've heard you complain a few times here and there."

"Uh, I think that was you; I'm nature girl extraordinaire, remember? I can go a few…months without bathing."

…

"You disgust me. You and your little…Minnesota thingies that you're always spouting about." Bish stuck out her tongue in disgust and retracted her hand. Obviously the poking had grown old, seeing as the wolf was now retaliating.

Lupin chuckled once more. "Okay, okay, I just…don't feel comfy going out all naked like this…"

"You have a towel and a brain. Use them both wisely unless you want to end up like Jack…"

She heard another fit of snickers from behind the curtain and Bish finally sighed, tired of playing this game. "All right, Lupin, if you don't come out by the count of five, I'm dragging you out, naked or with a towel. One…"

"Okay, okay, okay! I'm…coming…out…"

Why the wolf sounded so strained and distant was beyond the Hispanic woman, but it was a relief to get the girl out of her little hollow in the wall. Clutching the towel, Lupin had her hair up in a high ponytail, revealing the almost always hidden silver stud earring at the top of the wolf's left ear. Bish had almost forgotten Lupin had it; she had gotten it on her eighteenth birthday and of course, she heard of the complaints, the pain… Piercing cartilage? Well fuck that, it'd hurt, plus…Bish knew her dad would kill her if she ever got a piercing like that. It was visible and therefore, would make her a target.

The wolf, tiny and looking a tad pale, looked around nervously and her gaze was met by curious dark brown. "Something the matter, hun?"

Lupin blinked before she shook her head. "No…nothing wrong." She answered quickly. Bish rolled her eyes.

"Okay, well then let's go. We're paying good money to use one of porcelain bathtubs and that's expensive shit there. They just finished heating the water up and I don't want it to be fucking cold by the time we get there."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Oh, it felt good… It was paradise…oh, fuck it, it was heaven on earth. Bish sunk down into the sizzling warm waters, her back molding to press against the curved porcelain bathtub, rolling her aching shoulders. And the steam rising up from the warm waters…oh, it felt good and it was doing her pores some good too. She felt relaxed…

And the soap wasn't half-bad, either, even if it was made from animal fats and plant scents, such as lavender. Grabbing her bar, Bish held on tightly and chuckled. "Ooh, this feels so good. My hair is gonna get cleaned, and I am going to be feeling fabulous. Loopy…"

Up until this point, Lupin had been quiet as a church mouse, not even singing, as she normally did when she took a shower or whatever. "Mmmph?"

A loud splash of water made the Hispanic woman look over her shoulder to where Lupin's tub sat not too far away and the wolf sloshed around, knees brought up to her chest as she peered to look at Bishquet. It was a bit unnerving that the tubs weren't separated by like, a curtain of some sort, but the room was available and the water's hot, so who cared at this point? "Yeah?"

"You cleaning?"

"Uh-huh." She answered, holding up her own bar of soap. It was worn down, same as Bish's. They weren't the only ones who used this place. Carefully, she dunked her head back, letting her hair sink into the waters. Oh, damn it…she forgot that she didn't have conditioner. It was going to be a bitch to rid of all those tangles, gnarls and whatnots out now…

"Okay, good, I don't want to come over there and clean you myself. That'd be really, really awkward." It was meant to be a joke, but Lupin didn't seem to be giving out on laughter much.

"Uh-huh…"

Bish frowned as she began to scrub herself down with a rag, the faint scent of lavender reaching her nose. But, knowing Lupin, she was still fretting about that damned one-sided fight with Ed. It was no use trying to get the girl to talk. Even at nineteen, she still had much reserve left to herself.

"You know, you're gonna smell awfully nice when you finish up. Oh, God, I need a haircut, I just know all this hair that grew on me is dead."

A small chuckle left Lupin's lips. "Yeah, probably mine too, you know? If I had some scissors or a decent knife, I could give us a quick cut job."

Bish stroked her wet tresses, thick ringlets dripping heavily with water. "Uh-uh, no way. I may trust you with your cooking, but not with cutting my hair with a fucking knife. When you get a pair of scissors, call me."

"Fine…maybe if we're lucky, we'll stop in Italy or Greece and I'll like, buy some there."

"But, that's too far away! I don't care if Jack's ship is the fastest in the Caribbean or whatever; it's far off right now! I have dead hair hanging off of my skull and I don't want to be weighed down by dead weight…"

"I know, but we're spending the last of our money on this bath. God, paying to bathe…this royally sucks balls, you know that?"

The Hispanic woman sighed in unison with the wolf. "Yeah, I know, but I guess we have to make the best of it…" She paused. "Lupin…do you have any of those…theories of yours that you're always yammering about in your stories? Do you think…do you think that's what happened to us?"

For a quiet minute, Lupin didn't answer as she scrubbed her own body with the lavender-smelling soap. She nibbled on her lip and rubbed against her neck absently. "I dunno…I guess so. I mean…if you think about it, we were in the Bermuda Triangle, right? And weird stuff always happens there, especially during storms and hurricanes and shit. And Ed and Al were in a storm as well, too. They got hit by a hurricane, we did too, and so did Jack and his ship. It…it all must be interconnected somehow."

Bish blinked and squinted over to where her friend was, seeing that she had to take off her glasses to bath, like any normal and sensible person would. "Um…okay…what? Could you repeat that, but in English, please? I know you're smart and all, but I'm not a nerd for this crap like you are."

"It's not crap, it…it makes perfect sense, really. Worm holes, rips in space-time continuums, whatever you wanna call it, it made a direct link between our time, Ed and Al's time and then here. We were…pulled into some dimensional warp or something. I don't know what or why, or how…but this place is really real, Bish. I mean, the places I can understand and stuff, but the movies…? They shouldn't be and they are, but why? It doesn't make any sense…"

Again, she stared at her friend, incredulous. "Um…now you're scaring me…you sound like…sixteen year old Ed going on a rant here…"

"Shh! Don't SAY that stuff out loud, Bish! They could hear us for all we know!"

"Sheesh, all right already, you're paranoid."

Lupin pouted. "I have every right to be…"

Bish sighed, exasperated. "Of course you do, just like you have every right to bathe properly. This water ain't gonna be reheated except over a fire and that could take hours, so hurry up and finish, whore."

Again, the pout formed on Lupin's face, but Bish could barely deter it from the distant between the two. For once, she was glad she didn't have perfect vision. Sighing, she finished scrubbing down and just lay in the tub, lazy as could be before another thought crossed her mind.

"Hun, what about this friend of Jack's?"

"Hm…? Oh…you mean Tia Dalma?"

"Whatever her name is…" Bish grumbled, rolling her eyes. How was she supposed to know who the characters were? She could barely remember what happened in the first movie! All she remembered was Will giving Lizzie a kiss at the end after Jack sails away.

"What about her? Hang on, I'm getting out."

"You're done already?" Bish blinked, but she didn't turn around, and she added, "Well, if she brought Barbossa or whatever the hell his name was, back from the dead, then can't she just…wish us back home or some shit like that? She's supposed to be some sort of goddess or something, right?"

There was a pause, a period of silence before Lupin sighed. "Yes, she is. Calypso. But…I don't think time travel is within her range of powers."

"Then what the hell are we still doing here? So…so you can play pirate girl and be close to that idiot who just made you cry last night? Come ON, Lupin! You have more common sense than this!" Bish turned around, glaring through bleary vision at the wolf, who had the towel once again wrapped around her body, but she was trying to get her pants on underneath. Lupin stood frozen, staring back at her friend for a few moments before she sighed.

"I never said she _**didn't**_ have that…power within her range, Bish. But, what I'm also thinking is that, seeing as that Calypso was a goddess of the sea, she got around a lot, right?"

Bish pursed her lips before she pouted and nodded. "Uh-huh, and your point, being…?"

"Well, she must know OTHER gods and goddesses around the world, seeing as if she's the goddess of the seas, she's pretty much intimate with every culture around the world. This gives her leverage to talk to other gods or goddesses for us and then THEY can get us home, savvy?"

…

"Okay, one, don't say that 'savvy' shit to me, and two, yes I do understand." She bit her lip nervously. "But…what if she doesn't help us? What if we're stuck here? We HAVE to think realistically here, Lupin… I don't want to be stuck saying 'ARG' for the rest of my life, you know."

Suspension hung in the air as Lupin fiddled with her jeans and buttoned it, turned around and slipped on her bra as quickly and nimbly as she could before turning around again, rubbing her temples. The towel crumpled, lying on the floor in a heap. She nudged it with a foot.

"I...I haven't thought that far ahead, yet, Bish. But I…I'll think of something for us, okay? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but first, let's let Jack get that drawing of that key from the Turkish prison."

"Wait, prison? He's going to prison?" Bish blinked, taken aback. Again, she was not up-to-date on these things, and as much as she didn't like to admit it, she knew Lupin was the top-notch authority of future events that were to come ahead now. Her knowledge could just very well save their asses. After all, she was "Captain Lupin the Pirate-Ninja Extraordinaire."

"No, not exactly. I don't know exactly, they didn't show how he got in, just how he got out in the end. You remember, right, at the beginning of _Dead Man's Chest_?" Lupin's eyes twinkled encouragingly, and apparently, she wasn't up to explaining all the little details from the second movie that was slowly coming closer. Bish tilted her head to the side, frowning.

"He went in for a key drawing…just like you mentioned a minute ago, right? I don't really remember much, Lupin, I'm sorry. I just never really got into it as much as you." She finally answered quietly and Lupin sighed, smiling sadly but her shoulders drooped.

"It's okay, I guess…I'll just have to give you heads up on things before they happen, huh?"

Bish snorted. "You'd better, or I'll feed you to that big-ass mofo squid thing myself."

"Whore, if I die, then who's gonna give you heads up? My laptop's password secured and all my movies are on it. You won't be able to get to them without me. And then you won't be able to figure out what happens next." Lupin grinned nastily.

Bish paused before she pursed her lips. "…I bet I can guess what it is. It starts with 'Ed's' and it ends with 'Co—,"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence or I'll hand you over to Davy Jones myself."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Are you glad you listened to me?"

Bish grinned as she saw the annoyance flicker in Ed's eyes and he impatiently brushed a wet strand of his bangs out of his eyes, refusing to meet her gleeful gaze.

"Come on, I know you wanna admit it, you're glad you took a bath."

"All right, fine! I'm glad I'm clean, now get off my case!" He finally snapped at her, but the grin remained in place as she wriggled her shoulders a little.

"Mmm, I thought so. But, you might want to comb out your hair. It's really snarly and stuff."

Ed grunted. "Don't have a brush."

She raised a brow. "I don't either, I've been borrowing Loopy's. She might let you use hers, and I'd suggest it highly instead of just sitting there and letting it dry like that."

It was a simple suggestion, but Ed bristled at the mention of Lupin slightly and pursed his lips tightly. Bish noticed, but didn't say anything and the two sat in silence.

The Hispanic woman had just come topside from checking on Lupin, who had just started dinner with a ravenous pace and found Ed alone, so she had decided to bug him. But, of course, being picky, she didn't want to see a sloppy job go unfixed. Ed's hair for one bugged her, what with all its gnarls and tangles done up in a messy ponytail. Before Bish allowed Lupin to start dinner, she had made sure the wolf brushed out her hair and then she too, proceeded to do so after the wolf darted off. Hunger drove her, she supposed.

Ed finally broke the uncomfortable quietness with a deep breath. "Lupin in the galley?" He asked quietly. Bish bobbed her head.

"Depends. What're you gonna talk to her about?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes. I'm her friend and her manner of well-being and state of mind concerns me. I don't want you traumatizing her, pissing her off or upsetting her anymore than you did. Yes, you did have a right to be mad, but like I told you earlier, she was essentially only telling the truth and you can be mad all you like at it, but she shouldn't have been the one you got angry with. Don't shoot the messenger, Ed."

Again, with the preaching…Ed was getting tired of it, but once again, he found himself actually agreeing, however grudgingly and unwillingly he was at doing so. Bish seemed to know she was hitting a cord with him as well but she said nothing. Ed stared distantly out at the horizon; a habit he's found himself getting used to now, seeing as there wasn't much to do and his restlessness was starting to get the better of him. Oh, how he craved written words; a book, a newspaper clipping, _**ANYTHING**_! Even a wanted poster would suffice…

"And…" Bish began to add, "Remember, if it weren't for her watching over you, you wouldn't even be here right now, learning what she's told you. So, if I were you, I'd be damned grateful to still be in my skin, healthy and intact."

Ed glanced over his shoulder at the Hispanic woman, but she had walked away, ascending the stairs to go up to the quarterdeck and he was once again, left alone. A stray, cool wind gave him a reprieve from the summer heat and he exhaled slowly through his nose before pushing back his damp bangs once more. Straightening up, Ed turned and descended down the stairs, retreating to the cool innards of the _Black Pearl_, a place he could leave, but at the moment…chose not to.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Of course, he found her in the galley. It was only out of habit that his feet took him there…and common sense. She had taken over the cooking, apparently after he and his brother had both become well again a few weeks ago. He stood off in the shadows, away from the flickering tendrils of candlelight. It was an annoyance. He wholeheartedly missed electricity dearly and now knew he had taken it for granted. Lupin, however, was oblivious to his presence and he could see something wedged in her ears whenever she turned his head towards him, something on a white…wire or string of some sort.

Softly, she was singing and when he strained himself, he could hear what she was saying, and faintly, he could lip-read as well.

"_Walking, waiting  
Alone without a care  
__Hoping, and hating  
Things that I can't bear…__To take my life and fuck it up  
__Well did you?  
I hate you…_

_Did you think it's cool to walk right up?  
__I see hell in your eyes_  
_Taken in by surprise  
Touching you makes me feel alive  
Touching you makes me die inside…_"

Her body was tense and she swayed to whatever…music—yes, it music, he presumed, seeing as she was SINGING—with flowing motion and made soft, jerking motions with her head, and every so often, he caught sight of her eyes—intense, passionate and distant; deep in the song and the music. Finally she stopped after another few moments and took out one of the things in her ears and she sighed.

"Is someone there? I can feel your eyes on me, just so you know."

Startled, Ed froze. She knew he was there? His lips twitched as she saw her looking into the darkness, squinting gently, scoping and combing with her eyes sharply. Finally, Ed stepped forward, making himself known, running a hand through his knotty hair and he winced at an especially nasty rat's nest he caught his fingers in. When Lupin saw him, she said nothing, but stared with a blank slate clearing her face, erasing all emotion she seemed to be pouring into whatever song she was moving to.

"Oh…" She simply said.

He felt he uncomfortable silence settle over them like a thick, suffocating dust and he didn't want that. "How, uh…how did you know I was there?" He finally asked.

Lupin turned around and went back to readying the food. "I didn't. I was getting paranoid and decided to say something to calm myself. I…sometimes do that, but never really expected anyone to pop up." She answered. He blinked. So…she didn't know he was there. She was just quelling her own fears of the dark? How odd…

"Was there something you wanted?" She asked quietly. "Because if you're here to just bother me, then get it over with. I'm tired…"

He bristled at her accusation but he kept himself in check. He didn't need to blow up at her, and he didn't need her blowing up at him. "Actually, I came to ask you a favor…"

She stopped doing whatever she had been doing and glanced over her shoulder, her hand on her hip. "I'm listening."

He scratched his neck and sighed. "I was…wondering if I could borrow your brush. I, uh…kinda need it. As you can see…"

He motioned to his sloppy and tousled hair, done up in a low ponytail. Faintly, he saw her lips twist up in a smile, but she turned her head away before he could actually tell if it was a twitch of the lips or a real smile.

"And…why should I let you borrow my brush? You were pretty nasty to me yesterday. All I did—,"

"—was tell me the truth, so I've been told. Bish has already torn into me twice for it." He muttered bitterly, thinking back to the two conversations he's had with the young woman. And he could swear, he heard a snicker from the wolf. He frowned.

"Look, if you're not gonna help me, then just tell me." He sighed, irritated. Lupin turned and for the first time of that day, she met his gaze.

"Wait here and watch this. I'll go find my brush."

Lupin was gone for five minutes, maybe a little less. When she did come back, she was waving a plastic brush in success. "I knew I had it somewhere. Just couldn't find it. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." He replied earnestly; glad that he would at least be able to sleep without a mat of knotted hair tonight. She handed him the brush. "Thanks."

Lupin only nodded and turned back to the greasy grate she had to use a stove. The fire growled and crackled beneath the small pot she was using. Ed winced, as he had to actually fight to take out his hair tie out. When he finally managed to get it untangled and out of his hair, he looked at the brush in his hand. Apparently, Lupin had done a quick job in the dark to try and get rid of all the other hairs that had been collected in the brush.

He pulled at another strand that caught his eye and dropped it to the floor before he tried to start on his own.

"So…you gonna do that here or you gonna take it upstairs?"

Ed stopped tugging for a moment, wincing before he glanced at Lupin's backside. "I actually wanted to ask you something else."

She was silent and he thought she was ignoring him. It turned out she was waiting for him to continue. "Oh?"

He hesitated. He wanted to know more. He honestly wanted to know what had happened with the bombings, the war, everything. But, he had been hesitant on the fact that Lupin was now reserving herself, quiet and most likely hurt and upset now at him.

"I…wanted to know more. About…the war and what exactly the bombings were."

"You just want information to stop it. I may be plenty of things Edward, but stupid and ignorant are not any of them. Do not try to get around me."

He stared at her backside, incredulous. Lupin turned to meet his gaze with her own fiery gaze and she studied him with a clenched jaw. She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, strongly and an odd revelation of a mini, brunette Izumi Curtis crossed his mind. Her stance and her glare reminded him strongly of his late teacher. But the sudden accusation made him return the glare.

"I'm not going to use you for information, I'm just curious! I want to know what I missed, if that's all right with you." He snapped back. "But, apparently, I'm not allowed to learn history because you deny me that luxury. Sorry to bother you. Thanks for letting me use your brush."

He made to hand the brush back to her, but she stood in that same stance, silent and vigilant and she only watched him with her eyes. She sighed and the fire in her eyes slowly began to quell but he didn't pay any heed before she shook her head finally.

"Sit down."

Ed blinked and opened his mouth but she interrupted him before he could start. "_Sit. Down._"

The authority in her voice made him oddly obey and he found a seat, one in the candlelight. It flickered and she glanced at it for a few moments, as if entranced. "I'll tell you about the war. But…you'll have to promise to not get angry with me again. I can't guarantee all of what I'll tell you are exactly friendly to the ears and it may be upsetting and you might get mad…but it's the truth. Grade-A history and I was a whiz at this stuff when I took tests and stuff. A's and B's, you know?"

She paused and raised a hand to pass over the candle's flame and then brought it back down. "I'll tell you after dinner, though. And if he wants to, Al can come and listen, too. He has a right to know, just as much as you do."

Ed considered her for a few long moments, and he realized the stillness had once again settled over them. He opened his mouth to say something, anything in response, to break the silence, but she spoke and broke him off again. She must have some annoying habit of doing that to people or was it just him?

"Go and tell everyone dinner's ready. And finish brushing your hair; it's still a tangled mess."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	15. Our Bloody Friend Norrington

**Chapter Fourteen:  
Our Bloody Friend Norrington **

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Come on, guys, don't do this to me. We had a good thing going with the reviews; where'd all my good fans go? Don't die on me! (Holds out a plate of temptuous brownies) They're fresh and ready for the taking, but only for the reviewers. (Evil cackle)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Do you know the difference between involvement and commitment? Think of ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.  
_**- Martina Navratilova **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Are you sure you want to tell them? I mean, I'm not really worried about Al; he's less hotheaded then his brother and he's definitely got the patience of a saint. Ed though…I'd be careful with him, hun." Bish nibbled her lip nervously and noticed she had been doing that lately. Chewing her lip, mostly to pass time. She was surprised she hadn't bitten down hard enough to draw blood yet. Now she watched her friend speedily eat, as if her appetite had suddenly sprung back up over the past hour.

Her patience with that damned grate was beyond Bish; it was a wonder Lupin could handle it so well, but then again, her little wolf could start a wet fire and use snow for cooking water; in the rain and in the cold, to boot. Minnesota truly did wonders for Lupin, Bish was damned sure of that. Lupin returned Bish's worried gaze with her own, but it also held elements of giddiness, excitement and of course, the coursing nervousness that Bish was feeling overwhelmed by.

How and why Lupin agreed to tell Ed MORE, and to let Al in on it too, was beyond Bish. Truly, Lupin could be as wild and unpredictable as well, herself. But then again, Lupin has survived—and not to mention, learned—many driving lessons from the master, so now that Bish delved deeper into thought about it, it wasn't all too surprising coming from Lupin.

"I know it's...risky, but they do have a right to know at least that much. I mean, come on, Bish, you know it's true. You've thought about telling them stuff, too."

"Yeah, I'd like to tell them stuff, like a big ass motherfucking squid thing is gonna attack us soon, heads up, but to tell them about…about World War II? Come on, Loopy…you're not really serious are you?"

Lupin must have detected the irritation in her friend's voice—she definitely heard the sarcastic comment about the Kraken—because she sighed, loudly.

"Look…I'll spare them gritty details. They don't need to know that stuff. But I'll them a basic outline of World War II."

"And the bomb? You gonna tell them about that too? You might as well, Ed and Al know when they were dropped, just not where."

"…No. I won't tell them who exactly or where, but I will tell them why."

Bish looked over Lupin's face intently, worry lines etched on her face and concern in her eyes. "I just hope to God you know what you're doing, Lupin. I really hope so. Don't go overboard, okay? I'll be going to bed, but if you need me, come and get me, all right?"

"Bed? But it's early."

"I know, but I'm tired. Just…don't stay up too late yourself or you'll never get up. I'm just really surprised you've been able to get up all this time by yourself without that damned bell. Usually you sleep in during the summer."

Lupin shrugged. "Eh. It's a built in clock now. I dunno. Shit happens."

"No shit," Bish snorted before adding, "Don't let Ed get to you if he starts up."

The wolf took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I won't. Thank you. I'll see you in the morning. Maybe."

"Night, Loopy."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin rolled over onto her side, yawning before her mind slowly started to work on itself and her thoughts turned to last night after a minute's notice of being awake and alert. She nibbled her lip for a moment, and then she scratched the back of her head, sitting up as she did so. Squinting in the dark, it took her a full minute to be able to see anything or make out any shapes in the dark and she felt a frown touch her lips.

It was hard to recollect what she thought the Elric brothers were feeling while she had told them scant details of World War II. She hadn't wanted to go into fine points, just major events, but she knew Ed—who had been occupying Europe much longer than Al has by two years—didn't seem all too surprised by the fact that Germany had been the one to start the war. Hitler had turned many heads with his book _Mein Kampf_ and it had raised many uncertain voices throughout the country. The man had seemed like a crock with a few screws loose to Ed, but after hearing what he would do and how he had legally rose to power, along with Mussolini in Italy and Stalin in Russia, it seemed like the man was a dangerous power to be had with.

She had almost stopped up to the point of the Holocaust, but swallowed thickly and told them, vaguely, about it. And hesitantly, she had told them how many people had died.

"Don't you see? This is why we have to go back! Maybe we can stop Hitler, and then the war! How can you ask us to just turn a blind eye to this massacre?" Ed growled out at her. Lupin hid her cringe at the word 'massacre'. It seemed so harsh, but at the same time, it had been all too appropriate a description for the Holocaust and World War II.

Rapidly, she had searched for a way to respond to that, any way at all but she felt dead on her words and let silence fill in for her as she reflected on his words. If Hitler never did start the war, and the Holocaust never happened, would the future be changed, for better or worse? It brought up many points of possibilities, but she had to shake her head at it, finally in answer.

"Because, Ed…you'll only be hurting a lot of people's futures…yourself and your brother included. You're not the only ones who wanted to change a lot of things, but you just can't. People have tried…and they were killed in cold blood for trying. No mercy, no remorse, no regret and no kindness whatsoever on their behalf. Nothing. You'll be killed, and no one will ask questions or try to save you. That's why." She had paused and sniffled, feeling the affect of this relaying of information get to her.

Lupin had caught Alphonse's eye for a moment and he seemed to sympathize with her. It may have been hard to hear this, but it was harder for her to tell it them, he figured. She went ahead and had wiped her eyes of any unshed tears and regained her composure and looked between the two. Ed just stared back with defiance, but he seemed to know the bitter truth in her words.

"War is a horrible thing, I know…but it's something that human kind just can't seem to live without, you know? And…I know it's hard to be asked of this…but you can't go back and try to stop the bombings, either. They help stop the war, even if…even if people had to die because of it. But people live and they die. It's the cycle of life…nothing lives for forever." Lupin resisted the strong urge to place a consoling hand on Ed or Al's shoulder, however much she had wanted to do so. And her words were a hidden implication that she wasn't as ignorant on life as most people were. She knew that everything was born, lived and would eventually die, whether naturally or because of accidents or murder or any other number of events. She once again had felt the tears prickle the corners of her eyes and she ducked her head back down and rubbed her arm against her face, wiping away all evidences of her tears and shuddered as she exhaled deeply.

And the deepening cone of silence wasn't helping at all. She had wanted one of them to speak, to say anything to break the long and quiet stillness, but at the same time, she dreaded it. She didn't want to argue over this, and she definitely didn't want them to inquire more, even though she knew it was inevitable that one or the other—mostly, out of habit, she expected Ed to be pushier and nosier for more answers than Alphonse, but she didn't leave Al out of the picture just yet—would have pressed her for more answers and maybe even go to Bish for answers if they up and quit on her.

Lupin had began to fiddle with her hands in her lap, picking at her nails and occasionally, she'd look up to see their brooding faces and try to conjure up some words of relief, but nothing came to mind; it was blank. The war had ended, yes, but it meant that they had failed at stopping that scientist from handing over his hard-worked notes on mass-destructive weapons. What she was asking them was hard…but they couldn't interfere.

Now, as Lupin sat in the stillness of the early morning, she began to wonder if she had done the right thing telling them everything she could or anything at all. When they finally had replied to her, it was mostly their goodnight and she was left alone before Lupin followed a half hour later. But she also worried that she had just given them another push to go away and leave.

Yes, she was desperate to keep them here on board, but mostly because of her just reasons of not wanting to see them hung. Another reason was because she did want to see them off, see them leave for their own time, their own world. Lupin could only hope that Tia Dalma could help the Elric brothers and suddenly…a wry smile crept onto her lips in the dark.

"This…has to be weirdest real life crossover I've ever seen…" She mused aloud, before she twisted around in her small cot and began to fumble for her book bag. Unzipping a pocket when she finally managed to drag it out, Lupin fiddled around before she found what she was looking for. "Oh, please, please, please work, please…"

It was a small toolkit that her friend Scott, aka Killjoy, had given to her and she undid the miniature flashlight, biting her lip. "Please work, please…"

Clicking the button, she groaned. It didn't go on. She released and clicked a few more times, rapidly, before it slowly winked and fluttered on, a faint, hazy light. It grew stronger after a few seconds of being on and Lupin silently cheered and she moved her book bag aside and shone the light on her book titles, mumbling the names quietly to herself.

"No, no…Holly Black, Stephan King, Dan Brown…ah! Ray Bradbury…I knew it was a good idea to bring you…I'm so glad, too…" Pulling the small paperback, she almost whimpered like an injured animal at the state of her book. It was a relief that none of the pages had come out, and she had been able to save it. Unfortunately, not all her books had been so lucky, such as her manga, so she had grudgingly and heartbreakingly left those behind, however much her artistic instincts screamed against it.

_No sacrifice, no victory…_ Her mind annoyingly reminded her. She sighed and looked over the cover, frowning before flipping it open and the pages crinkled loudly in protest. She turned to the table of contents, skimmed the small stories and finally found the short story she wanted: _A Sound of Thunder. _

Her eyes fell to the page number it was posted on, and then she turned to the page, marked it and then turned off her flashlight. Tucking it back into her bag, she replaced it back to where it belonged and laid the book under her jacket before laying back down and closing her eyes. _I'll make breakfast in a minute…I'm tired…_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was late morning by the time Lupin woke up and she was in a panic. "Crap, I slept in!" She moaned as she jerked on her jacket, her Ray Bradbury novel lying innocently on the ground, forgotten for a few split seconds before the wolf turned back and picked it up and slipped it into her jacket pocket.

Pounding up the stairs that led top deck, Lupin reached the surface level and found an odd sight…

Bish was playing cards with Ed and Al, looking quite content, really. She blinked and looked from each face and then she looked to the sky. The sun was almost noon, and she ducked her face back down, wincing from the bright rays of the sun.

"About time you got up! We tried waking you up, but you wouldn't budge. So, we just kinda fended for ourselves, don't worry." Bish called and Lupin looked to her friend. She met the wolf's gaze for a few moments before looking down at the worn cards splayed in her hands and she raised a brow. Lupin stared skeptically.

"…You didn't burn anything, did you?" She automatically asked and Bish rolled her eyes.

"I didn't cook; you know Jack would murder me if I burned down his precious ship. Al cooked and it wasn't half bad."

Lupin saw Al flush a little at the compliment but the smile however, was very noticeable and Bish grinned. Lupin resisted the urge to sigh in relief and she just scratched the back of her head instead. Putting her hands in her pockets, she clasped a hand around her book and gripped the corners tightly before clearing her throat.

"Um…Ed? I need to talk to you real fast."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She had led him close to the bowsprit and waited for Ed to settle. He was quiet and he waited for Lupin to speak, but she didn't choose to say anything quite yet. Instead, she fiddled with the book in her pocket, feeling the worn edges, the delicate pages between her fingertips and she stroked the covers, weathered and battered with its battle with ocean's tide. Ed finally sighed, loudly, bringing the wolf out her thoughts.

"Look, if this is about last night, I—,"

"No…no, don't. It really isn't all about that, I just…" Lupin paused and carefully brought out her book. She could have almost broken down grinning stark crazy at Ed's eyes as they turned from suspicious to hungry as he stared at the book being pulled from her coat pocket. She knew for a fact that he was deprived of precious written material and even though she didn't have any real science books, she had science fiction and perhaps that would be better than nothing.

"When I was talking to you and Al last night about…about you not changing the past, it got me thinking. When I woke up a little earlier ago…before I fell back asleep, I fished this book out that I brought with me on my trip before I came here and was able to recover. This writer, he was uh…born in the 1920's, if memory serves me correctly. He wrote a lot of stories that were science fiction, fantasy, horror…and among other things." She paused and looked down at her book cover with a soft gaze, smiling. "He's one of my favorite writers…"

She looked back up to meet Ed's gaze, and the hunger was still there, and it seemed he didn't mind if it were fiction now. Anything would probably suffice for him, if he could just have a book to read. _All those books and I never offered to let him read them. How selfish am I?_ Lupin thought with a mental grimace.

"And…?" Ed finally asked. Lupin took a deep breath and opened the book to the page she had marked and folded back the dog-ear corner, smoothing it back with her thumb.

"I want you…to read this short story that he wrote, _A Sound of Thunder_, and then maybe you might see why it would be better if you left the past the way it should go without interfering. Just think of this story as the butterfly effect."

Ed stared at the girl, perplexed, hand halfway towards the book in Lupin's hand. "Butterfly effect?"

Her smile grew wider. "A butterfly flaps its wing in Peking and a hurricane somewhere else can either be created or negated. Butterfly effect." She pushed the book into his hand. "Read the story. You'll understand a little better. Then give it to Al for him to read."

And then she walked past him, leaving one of her books in his hands. Ed looked down at the book and noted the fringed edges, the yellowed pages… It must be a good few years old and from the worn use of the book, it was a book she frequently read. Ed made a face at the dog-ear flap on the tip of the page on the top corner and attempted to smooth it out more before his eyes roved over the first few sentences of the story.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He found her up among the shrouds, just sitting there, apparently staring out at the ocean. She had her legs looped through the roping and her hands clinging to them, back leaned up against the shrouds in a comfortable fashion. Bish was gathering up cards, apparently having played card games with perhaps the other two, but they were not present on the main deck. Perhaps they had gone below decks to escape the midday heat?

Bish saw him as he marched across the deck purposefully and raised a brow, but said nothing other than a casual, "Hey, Jack." He nodded to her, offering her a gold-riddled smile before turning his attention to the wolf and he was about to call to her when Bish interrupted him.

"She won't hear you, Jack. She's got music blaring in her ears. It's better to not ask questions. Just throw a rock at her head or something, that'll get her attention." The last part was a joke, but he understood the "not hearing" part. He knew she had something in her ears that had music somehow put in it. Some sort of device, he supposed from their time. He was curious, very curious as to how it worked, but for the moment, it didn't peak his top priorities list just yet.

It was then that the wolf turned around to look over her shoulder and she spotted Jack. He stared, perplexed at the sudden difference on the wolf's face. A ring of black was under her eyes and he was suspiciously reminded of his kohl. She grinned, unaware, and tugged one of the strange nubs from her ears.

"Oh, hey, Jack. When'd you get back?" She greeted, twisting around as she began to descend the shrouds and swing around to jump onto the deck, her bare feet making a smacking sound. His lips twitched and pulling a hand up, he let it rest casually on the butt of his pistol, as if to be reassured it was still there.

"Smart idea t' leave yer shoes down on deck when climbing up." He commented, and it was true, too. Shoes were a liability when aloft and only provided in more injuries than necessary. Lupin shrugged.

"I've done my fair share of research on ships," Lupin only replied and she smiled as Bish rolled her eyes behind Jack.

"Oh, well isn't that a good thing? Least you won't be completely useless."

"Hey!" Lupin cried indignantly, and Bish snickered. The wolf glared at her. "And you, Miss House, be quiet!"

She laughed louder at that and Jack stared between the two, curious and questioningly, but apparently, it seemed to be an inside joke between the two young women. He decided to purposely change the subject. "Where're the lads? They didn't leave, now did they?"

"No, they just went down to cool off, it's hot. I'm gonna do the same in a minute. You coming, hun?"

Lupin shook her head. "Nah, I'm gonna stay top deck, I like the heat."

Bish snorted. "Freak. All right, fine. Burn to a crisp."

"I don't burn, I tan." She retorted.

"All the more reason I hate you."

"I'm part Italian, bite me!"

"Preferably not. Later."

Bish stood with the cards tucked in her hand and reeled around to disappear below decks. Lupin sighed. "Well, I'm getting my art stuff out. I have an itchy artist-happy hand now."

Turning, she made to go but stopped when Jack didn't respond. Not that it wasn't unusual for him to not reply—Lupin sensed that Jack was wary of her and the others considering that they weren't from here—but it did somewhat concern the nineteen-year-old and she turned around again to look at the piratical captain.

"Jack?"

He did reply, his gaze fixated on the horizon before he pulled out his scope with a flurry of motion. She winced when he snapped it shut and whirled around on her and strong hand descended on her shoulders, clenching. Lupin snapped straight up and her eyes widened.

"Go find me crew, they're in that pub you found me in two nights afore, go!" His voice wasn't panicky, but calm and in control, athorative. He stared deeply into Lupin's eyes, making sure she understood.

"Wait, what's going on?" Startled, surprised and left in the dark, Lupin heard the urgency in Jack's voice. Something was wrong and vaguely, Lupin had an idea of what, but she hoped it wasn't true.

"British Navy, luv. Been on me trail since the Caribbean, but I'd been hoping that hurricane would 'ave knocked them all off course. Hurry, don't dawdle now."

"Uh, wha…I…" Lupin blinked and moved forward as Jack pushed her towards the gangplank and she turned her head, nodding. "It's just up the street, right?"

"Yes, hurry now, luv, we 'aven't got all day, now. Look fer Gibbs an' he'll know what t' do."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Dodging crowds and scores of people was a bit more of a task Lupin felt comfortable with as she followed a path up to the bar she had found jack in two nights before after Ed had left her on the beach, _Las Noches Fuertes_. It wasn't hard to depict most of the crew there, enjoying themselves on their short stay in Spain. Immediately, she found Gibbs and when he spotted her, looking a tad more frantic than she wanted to be, he swallowed the rest of his drink, rested two coins on the table and met with the wolf in the bar.

"Jack needs us back on the ship, Norrington's pulling into the port. You gotta get the crew together."

The old man's eyes flashed and he swore under his breath. "Just wait here, lass, I'll gather them up. You did yer part."

She nodded and swallowed. _Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap…what in the bloody hell are we gonna do if Norrington opens fire on us while we try to leave? _Nibbling voraciously on her lip, Lupin paced around a few tables for a few minutes before someone tugged on her pant leg and she looked to see Marty.

"Let's go, we're leaving."

Lupin nodded and followed the crew, feeling her blood race and her heart jump into her throat. She swallowed thickly, but it felt like cotton had been stuffed in and she couldn't do anything about it. Honestly, she had hoped that they wouldn't run into Norrington at all, but the words 'Tripoli' rang vaguely in her ears and she remembered that Tripoli was in Libya. At first, she had thought it was in Greece, but now she knew it was in Libya after looking on a map on her computer a while back. She moaned.

_Does that mean he's going to follow us until we hit Libya? What the fuck, just sink and we'll meet in Tortuga later, man! _She paused and could have hit herself. _Bish is going to kill me for this…why couldn't we have gone on a tour of Italy like normal people?_

It didn't take long to get to the _Black Pearl_, what with the crowds having parted like the Red Sea as the tromp of sailors rammed through, and down the docks and up the gangplank. Gibbs immediately began to relay orders.

"Weigh anchor, cast off those lines! Unfurl those sheets! Hurry it up, you scurvy dogs! We don't have time to linger!" Others too, but Lupin was in a daze as she skittered below decks and collided into someone. Backing away with a jerk, she found it was Al and she apologized immediately, still rather jumpy.

His eyes were lined with worry and it wasn't long before Ed joined his younger brother's side and Bish as well. They all looked to her for the answers before a few men came pounding down the stairwell, shoving past the four teens.

"Move it, move it, we might have to let loose a few cannonballs if we're to be engaged in a fight!"

"Wait, a fight? What's going on?" It was Ed and he stared, perplexed but wary of the sudden flurry of motion on the ship. The _Pearl_'s hull groaned and wavered. Lupin grabbed hold of the rope railing to keep her balance and she bristled and licked her lips.

"Lupin, what's going on?" Bish asked.

"Norrington's coming. We're leaving port."

"Wait, you mean that backstabbing jackass from the Navy? THAT Norrington?"

Before Lupin caught on, she just nodded mechanically and looked back up where she heard men shouting and moving about hurriedly above deck before she started back up. As much as her better judgment told her not to, she was interested to say in the least, where this was going. She knew for certain that Norrington would definitely know the _Pearl_'s sails anywhere; they were as black as night and no other ship had black sails that sailed the Atlantic or the Caribbean.

"Wait, you're going back up there? You heard that guy: he said that we might get in a fight!"

"They're using cannons; no one's gonna board us!" Lupin replied, although it didn't sound any better. Bish squealed, latching onto Lupin's hand and pulling her back down.

"Same difference! We're gonna get attacked. We should've stayed on dry land…"

"Too late now, unless Ed knows how to swim." She grunted and Ed's lips twitched but he said nothing in retaliation. Al snapped his head up at the sound of someone shouting once more.

"We should stay below decks; we'll only get in the way." He finally said. Lupin looked back up, but Bish's grip on her wrist tightened.

"We're not sailors, and we're not pirates, Lupin. We can't do much except sit on our butts and wait this whole showdown thing out. Please, let's just go and find someplace to sit and just wait. I really don't want you or the guys to get hurt up there if you stayed. Please, Loopy…"

Lupin knit her brows together and frowned, feeling her heart still race, but it wasn't as bad as before; now she was just running on adrenaline, on a rush and she wanted to be in the middle of things, but… Lupin finally sighed. She heard it from Bish and Ed looked ready to put his own opinion in and she didn't want to be chewed out by him now. The wolf nodded finally, and took the few steps back down. "Fine…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Do not engage unless fired upon first." That was the first order he gave out before pandemonium flushed around the _Pearl_. He saw Lupin go below decks, looking a shade paler than usual before four of his men disappeared as well, mostly to be prepared in case they were fired upon by Norrington's small, lagging fleet. The _H.M.S. Dauntless_ herself was at the front line, and Norrington most likely was on her; a warship and a powerful force, but sluggish. She was meant for power and not speed, but the _Pearl_ had both.

She cut through the water like a hot knife through butter and Jack kept an assured hand on the spokes of his ship's helm, eyes flittering to gaze upon the _Dauntless_ and the small fleet following behind it loyally, and he adjusted the _Pearl_'s course slightly. Raising his eyes skyward, he saw others flitting about the masts, all the black sheets unfurling and catching the wind with full force as they tied and secured them down. The _Pearl_ began to move more swiftly, passing schooners and sloops and a few galleons here and there as well, although the schooners and sloops outnumbered them.

An abrupt leave from port, it was, after he had made Lupin go and fetch his crew, he had left the others be, seeing as they were close to useless now except for perhaps the Elric brothers. But, perhaps it would be best if he had the girls learn a few things about the ship as well. Lupin seemed to yearn for that privilege, but Bish has clearly shown little to no interest at all. His lips twitched as he mused a little longer before returning his attention back to the task at hand. It seemed a sticky situation, but of course, he was Captain Jack Sparrow. Sly, cunning and to others, a tad bit on the loony side. He suddenly smiled and chuckled.

This would be a cakewalk.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	16. Technical Difficulties

**Chapter Fifteen:  
Technical Difficulties**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Mae**

**Flitter-Flutter**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**I want to say thanks to **_**Mae**_** for her wonderful review; I enjoyed reading it and yes, I know the suspicions concerning Edward on what Lupin and Bish know, but eventually, everything will fall into place and he'll begin to pick back up on his suspicions. As for the well-polished chapters… **

**You probably won't believe this, but most of the chapters twenty or so below, they were all written nearly a year ago. Yeah, these things have been pre-written and after quick a quick read through, I post them. Although, the later chapters are more…recent, ranging throughout late last year up till now—I take a while to gather inspiration for stories and I'm always working on others besides UID. **

**Also, to **_**Flitter-Flutter**_**, I am getting to Elizabeth, and to Will, but I'm just so damned lazy, they won't be popping up any time soon. D: I know, I'm horrible to those who love them; I really am lazy and wouldn't know what to do with them; they'd just be there, while there are actual actions being carried out on the _Pearl_ with us and the Elric brothers and Jack. Hopefully, by around the thirty or so chapters, I'll have something up for them. Glad y'all are enjoying this!**

**Anyway, enough of my ranting; if anyone has any questions or need details for this story (or others, in general) or perhaps even catch a teaser from future chapters. I might even consider posting whole chapters in the future. So, be sure to check out my profile, and click the LJ link that's marked "Disturbed of Mind". :3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Be tough, yet gentle  
Humble, yet bold  
Swayed always  
By beauty  
And truth.  
_**- Bob Pieh, Founding Director of Minnesota Outward Bound School (Now Voyageur)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Commodore! It's the _Black Pearl_! Sparrow's ship! Orders, sir?"

The warning did not need to be uttered; he could already see those dark sails unfurl like black wings over the skeletal mast as the _Pearl_ cut through the water elegantly, almost hauntingly. Norrington's lips thinned over and he rolled his shoulders over once. Now. He would strike now and have the pirate taken down: crew, ship, captain and all. But…it didn't ease him at all that he would be forced to do it in Spanish waters. This port, if he remembered, was a naval port, and the Spanish and British Navies have had their past differences, but they both sought out to squash piracy.

_It may be within their waters, but he is _mine_ to bring in._ He thought with a minute clench of the jaw. HE had chased down the pirate, and HE would be the one to take him down and hang him.

"Take her down! Signal to the others to do the same as well! Fire on my command!"

She was coming fast and that mystifying speed that the _Pearl_ had been granted in some way was only adding to the dreading effect. Today would be the day that he captured Captain Jack Sparrow.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Every cannon fire made her jump and they sounded dangerously close. Bish looked around the creaking wooden hull and she wrung her hands in a nervous fashion, trying to keep her breathing level and calm. Ed and Al seemed to be doing much better than she was, but the occasional flicker in their eyes let her know that they were also dreading a possible fate of capture. Lupin was curled up, and Bish thought she was crying and muttering to herself, but when she reached over and put a hand on the wolf's shoulder, she looked up, dry faced and well, if not a little on edge.

"You okay, Loopy?"

She nodded and offered a vague smile before dropping her head down. She had been singing, not muttering, Bish realized.

"_It's true…  
__We're all a little…insane  
__But it's okay  
__Now that I'm unchained…  
__Fear is only in our minds_

_Taking over all the time  
__Fear is only in our minds  
__But it's taking over all the time…_"

Shaky and less than perfect, Lupin seemed to have found her method of keeping calm. Another cannonball let loose and it sounded like it had come from the _Pearl_ itself; the roar had been intense, too intense for an outside influence. It shook the confines of the ship, making the wood jar around shake the _Pearl_ to the core.

"Bish?"

She turned, wide eyed, but still in control towards the voice and nodded, showing she heard. It had been Al. He paused before offering her a small smile. "We'll get through. Jack's ship is supposed to be faster than warships, right? So we'll just slip past them."

"Easy for you to say, warships have more cannons on them. They'll sink us before we try anything too close in range…" She grunted, supressing a shudder as another whistle and watery thud signaled another miss. Bish pursed her lips and began to mumble inaudibly to herself—praying—and covering her ears and shutting out the world around her, repeating the same mantra over and over again in her mind: _We'll get out of this, we'll get out of this…_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

A single hour passed, but it felt more like an eternity. Ed still felt tension riddle his body, as if refusing to ever leave, almost like if he tried to move, he'd shatter his bones from the pressure he had on his body. Slowly, the atmosphere seemed to lessen from its earlier intensity and the shouts became less and less frantic, less stressed. Finally he made the first initial move and got up, stretching.

Lupin had long ago fell silent, and Bish followed suite soon afterwards and then it was silent for the four of them. The cannonballs faded and the acrid smell of gunpowder thinned out. Rolling his neck, he was satisfied when it made a crack and he rolled his left shoulder around. Al started to get up too, and he stretched out a little. But they both turned at the sound of a loud crack and they saw Lupin rolling her head around in circles, roving her shoulders back and forth. Bish stared at Lupin from the corner of her eyes, shaking her head. "Freak."

Lupin didn't reply and she arched her back, groaning. "Oww…"

Bish stared up at the ceiling. "Do you think it's safe?"

"Dunno. Only one way to find out, though." Edward replied. Lupin clambered to her feet and was already on the move, prowling through the ship with a stalking jaunt to her stride, senses hypersensitive. Cautiously, they climbed up to top deck and filed out to find that land had been put far behind them, and only the blue sky met the blue waters in every direction. A strong wind was pushing the _Pearl_ on course and with quick calculations, Lupin gathered that they were heading south and would pass between Morrocco and Spain within the next few days and enter the Mediterranean Sea at the rate the _Pearl_ was moving, she estimated.

Quietly, she relayed this to the other three. Bish blinked and stared. "How do you know this shit?"

"…I'm…too smart for my own good. It gets me in trouble, especially when I start acting like a smartass."

Bish merely narrowed her eyes and shook her head once more.

"You…whatever you're taking, I want to know if you have any left and if I can have some. Seriously."

Lupin tried to supress her smile, but failed miserably and doubled over in a fit of giggles, covering her mouth with a hand. Sighing, she straightened up and cleared her throat, shaking her head. "Okay, um…so now what?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Earlier, when they had still be top deck, Jack had called the four of them. He didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point. "It's high time you lads left that little hole in the hull an' put up yer own beds. Leave the girls where they are and Gibbs' will 'ave you straightened out in no time. Ye'll take regular shifts like everyun' else, ye'll be expected t' do yer fair share of work around 'ere. Yer not t' freeload any longer, seeing as yer both in perfectly good health."

He had first addressed Edward and Alphonse, and although they both seemed to understand his orders, Lupin couldn't help but notice the annoyance flash in Edward's amber eyes. He only nodded mutely whilst Al had given a more respectful approach of, "Yes, sir."

It was…funny in some odd and twisted to way, but soon it faded when Jack had turned to her.

"An' now, fer you. Seeing as ye've been taking on all the galley duties and whatnot, I'm to assume yer the new cook. O' course, yer meals a little more flavorful…an' healthy. Makin' sure no one has scurvy, what with the abundance of fruits and veggies ye've gotten…"

Lupin had found herself only bobbing her head and she grinned. "I could add a few peanuts here and there if you'd like, too, Cap'n." It took a lot to refrain from bursting out laughing from the hidden joke she put in there. Jack didn't seem to notice. He just grinned, and Lupin caught sight of those sparkling gold teeth here and there.

"Oh, well, that sounds good." She could clearly see enthusiasm in his eyes and hear it in his tone. When he turned to Bish, Lupin had turned around and stifled her silent laughter and covered her mouth with a hand, hiding her smile. Ed and Al stared at her with an odd glance before Lupin was able to control herself and turned around quickly.

"Dude, Jack, seriously, I wanna be the doctor. I can do that much. Cooking? No. Mopping this deck? I'd probably fall overboard. Doctor." Bish declared to the pirate, right off the bat. At this Jack cocked his head to the side, as if assessing her and pretty much, when it came down to basic technicalities, he was.

"An' if someone were to have a broken bone, beyond the point of recovering? Would you be able t' saw it off, blood, bone and all?"

Bish only nodded automatically. "Where we come from, we get to watch that crap all the time. You would not believe all the gross stuff that could happen to the human body, seriously. Isn't that right, Loopy?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I see the same stuff as her like, once or twice every week. Blood and guts galore, yay." Lupin had answered with a minor grin on her face, and she shrugged in agreement. Ah, the glory of _House_…Hugh Laurie, that sardonic and sarcastic jerk, but still quite sexy in the two young women's opinion. Again, she had noticed the strange exchange of glances from Edward and Alphonse, and possibly, they were a little more than yearning for answers, but were wise enough to ask in relative privacy.

Jack fell silent as well and held Bish's rigid gaze for a few moments longer, rubbing his fingers together, as if they would decide her fate for her before he finally had nodded. "Fine. Doctor, it is. No squirmin' out though, when the occasions call fer yer help, lass. Savvy?"

Bish had raised a brow before she nodded. "Oh, please, I laughed at my dog when it lost its eye. Lupin remembers that, she was there. It funny as hell."

Lupin snickered. "Oh, God, that was years ago…I'd probably laugh if that dog was here now, running into shit…falling overboard."

The humor between the two young women had left a sudden and abrupt veil of mystery over the Elric brothers and the pirate captain. Bish and Lupin exchanged grins, both seemingly comfortable with the thought of blood and broken bones and whatnot. It was strangely odd at their level of thought pattern and obviously, they seemed more mature than they normally allowed to show at times.

Jack finally waved them off, literally with flapping hands and now, Lupin and Bish found themselves back down in the cubby, more space to themselves, seeing as Ed and Al had to remove their cots and now they were getting their hammocks; extras most likely having been purchased—or stolen, if Lupin knew any better with these pirates—in Cádiz. Really, all they were was some thick sheets of cloth tied around a wooden beam, but she could hear Gibbs somewhere off giving instructions on a good knot to keep their hammocks from untying and the like.

Bish had pulled out the first aid kit and fumbled with the clasps and began to rummage through the large tin. "Jesus, we're not gonna survive with this crap…we'll need to get more stuff. We should've saved some of that money Jack gave us…"

"Well, you're the one who wanted a bath, and we both paid our end, and the guys paid their's. S'fair enough, being clean. Let's just…stick with our jobs, get 'er done and then get paid again. We go to port, we go ashore, get some supplies, and then boom, we're back in business. Besides…" Lupin began to pick through the kit. "The kit's full. Plus, if something were to happen, you can stab them with a needle full of something."

Bish rolled her eyes. "Yeah, full of what, air? Morphine, vicodan and any other painkillers that hospitals are chock full of are controlled substances; we don't have any of that except for maybe a few bottles of Ibuprofin and Aspirin. Maybe some Benodryll, but that's about it. Not much here and we only have a few needles. It's unsanitary to resuse them, because of the risk of disease and infections and the only thing we can inject someone with is Penicillin."

The dark-haired young woman pulled out each bottle and rattled the contents around, looking at their names before placing them back in. "I know I can do this. If someone has a broken bone, I can splint it, or help with colds and flus, but if someone gets seriously sick and needs like, something that a hospital would have, we're boned."

Lupin smiled and placed a hand on her friend's own. "Eh, I doubt we'll get in that much trouble. The only thing you have to worry about is someone getting scurvy—easily healed by the miracles of fruits and vegetables—or the loss of a limb. Just cut it off and place a hot sword over the stump; I'm sure you'll get a kick out of torturing someone with a hot sword fresh from sitting over a fire."

The wolf's wicked grin was met by that of Bish's and a far-off look in her eye told her that her friend was daydreaming about that possibility. "That does sound tempting…"

Lupin nodded. "Besides, if someone is really sick, just quarantee them and use one these mask thingies. Oh, and drowning victims? Thing of the past with this little mask pump. You don't even have to worry about physical CPR." Lupin chuckled and Bish smiled.

"I love you, Loopy. You know how to cheer me up, you know that?"

The wolf lifted her hands up, palms face up as she shrugged. "Eh, it's what I do. My job here…is done. Besides, I need you sane! You can't leave me alone with these crazy people!" She laughed, latching her arms around Bish's shoulders, nuzzling into her friend's neck.

"Who's crazy?" A voice called, light with humor. The two looked up to see Ed and Al standing where the curtain was, Al pinning it back.

"Oh, you, me, everyone on this ship. Why? Because, we just escaped bloody Norrington and his little armada fleet and we are on our way to the Mediterranean. And it…will be _epic_." Lupin declared dramatically to which Bish once again pertained to the action of rolling her eyes, but nonetheless she had to smile at her friend's theatrics.

"Yeah, maybe in your world. Mine? I'm just aiming to get home, where I can relax and not worry about being molested every time I flash skin. I swear, I saw one of those guys up there looking at me like I was something other than a person. Disturbing, but I wouldn't mind if it were Jack…"

Lupin snorted and looked back at the brothers. "She's crazy, I swear she is!" She whispered loudly, jabbing her thumb in Bish's direction. She shrugged as she began to put away the first aid kit and stored it in the corner where Ed used to have his cot. Now it was a small space that was piled with the single suitcase, two purses, a book bag and three small stacks of books. The Ray Bradbury book was not back yet, and Lupin assumed either Ed or Al had it.

Ed chuckled; this was actually nice, being able to communicate with someone who had something in common with him. Just like he and his brother, the girls were obviously looking forward to getting home, and from the way Lupin spoke so reassuringly, so obviously, she knew that this…friend of Jack's would help them. Although he had a gut feeling that told him something was fishy about her self-assurance and the way she spoke, as if she knew this person just as well as Jack did, he tried to let it pass over and ignore it.

Lupin sprawled out, clearly enjoying the extra amount of space in the once-squashed cubby. She stretched like a cat and Bish poked her stomach. The wolf squealed and curled up. "Mean…"

"My job is done." Bish replied at ease. Lupin pouted, but shrugged it off and twisted around, sitting up and resting her head on Bish's shoulders.

"Is there something you wanted or are we needed somewhere?" She asked boredly, peeping an eye open to gaze at the brothers.

"Well, seeing as you're not exactly thrilled to have us around, I guess we're not needed."

"Nothing like that, I never said anything against you. Just curious. Come, sit. Talk. Do something, before I drive Bish up the walls and vice versa."

Bish in turn, pushed Lupin off her shoulders and the wolf tumbled over, going with the flow, purposely falling over and just lying there. "See what I mean? She's so abusive."

Her friend grunted, smiling triumphantly. "Least my balls are bigger than yours."

"Ah, yes, spiritual balls. Yours are huge, I will agree."

…

As interesting as the conversation was going, Ed couldn't summon the words to reply to the odd exchange between the two young women; apparently, this sort of banter was quite normal with the two. Finally, he conjured the few words he could only sum up their relationship.

"You two have got to be one of the oddest pair I've ever seen."

Al turned to look at his brother, but before he could say anything—well, it had seemed like a rude comment to him—the two began to snicker.

"Oh, yes, coming from the idiot who has a cranky fit every hour." Bish retorted and Ed glared at her. Lupin didn't seem to think twice on the comment.

"Mm-hm, she's got you pegged. Al's got the patience of a saint and you seem to have a temper on you. You weren't the sunniest kid in class, were you?"

His lips twitched. "I haven't been to school since I was ten."

Lupin blinked and gaped. "No way! That's gotta be illegal!"

Al sighed and looked to his brother, curious as to what he was thinking but said nothing. Ed only shrugged in reply. "It's true. Why, you got a problem with that?"

"No, it's just…I feel a little outclassed, really. I only made a teacher retire because of me, I was that tempermental a kid. The pills they put me on didn't do much help, either." She broke down in soft sniggers under her breath. Ed blinked. Lupin, obviously thought it was the funniest thing in the world.

"They used to have to take away her books, the poor dear." Bish said simply. Lupin nodded.

"Yeah, I was a bad kid. Well, I wasn't bad, the teachers just didn't like me. But, yeah, I was a bookworm. Never liked math though."

"At least you passed your S.A.T.s. I was getting really worried there for a moment when you started voicing your doubts, but I had a feeling you'd pull through." Bish said vaguely, not noting the looks of mirrored confusion written on the Elric brothers' faces. Lupin didn't either.

"I was too, but I'm glad you helped me through. God, those all-nighters sucked balls…I was so relieved when I got the scores back and I passed…"

"S.A.T.s? What're those?" He asked, curiosity piqued. He lowered himself to a sitting position, but Edward remained standing and he leaned against a wooden post, staring between his brother and the two young women, listening to the conversation as it carried on between different subjects; some interesting, others not quite.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He hadn't seen Lupin in hours; not since they had talked earlier. Bish didn't seem to know where she was, but wasn't all too concerned; they were on a ship, where could Lupin go, other than the sea around them? It wasn't that he was all too concerned, either; just curious. Dinner had been served hours ago, when Lupin had to leave abruptly in the middle of conversation and that was where he had seen her last, really. Briefly and shortly, but he saw her nonetheless. After that, she disappeared.

And now that he thought about it, she did this a couple times a week, when she thought no one would miss her presence. He hadn't really thought on it until now, weeks later. Edward frowned, a little peeved. Where did the wolf go on her free time, if she wasn't with Bishquet or on deck with the crew? Taking one of the many glass lanturns that littered the deck, he found his way down, and shown the flickering light in dark corners, and made his way to the forecastle, which he by now knew was located near the bow of the _Black Pearl_, just before the bowsprit.

_No…not in the cubby._ He thought as he pushed back the curtain, but he noted that the cots were now spread out a little more spaciously, the blankets folded over and Lupin once again had her coat as a pillow whenever she wasn't in use of it. Her clothes that she had been wearing were changed out and lying crumpled over her blanket. He figured that she was feeling hot and decided to put something a little less constricting on, like a lighter pair of pants and shirt. But, oddly enough, her machine was out. He believed it was called a laptop, or that's what Bish called it; a type of 'mobile computer machine'. The top was pulled back, but it was a blank, glossy cover and he couldn't hear anything coming from it. _Probably off right now. Wonder what she was doing with it._

Apparently, it had access to something called the Internet and it could research anything in the world, around the world…if a document existed on the Internet, that is. But, as Bish had explained with a sound of longing in her voice, neither she or Lupin could access the Internet currently, but when he had pressed for more details, hungry for more information, she had merely shook her head. "Ask Lupin for more, if you want. She could explain a few things here and there for you."

But, he hadn't had time or he had forgotten to ask her. Either way, he hadn't gotten any further than the explanations he had gotten from Bishquet, but he did want to know more. Considering the pressure the crew has been feeling—aside from Jack, who seemed to think this more of a game than anything—the day so far up to the point where they had abruptly left port has been a few notches tenser than the past few days, in Ed's opinion.

The handle on the lanturn creaked noisily and he winced, hearing a faint echo reach his ears. But, that wasn't the only thing. He heard grunts and pants and a few grumbles here and there. Curious, he moved towards the sound, finding his way deeper and farther down into the confines of the ship, the faint sloshing of water reached his ears, mixed with the pants and the grunts. He made a face at the overly briny scent as he went farther down, mixed with the scent of livestock.

When he finally found the source of the sounds, he was a little more than surprised.

Lupin was hanging upside down, two lanturns lit around her, revealing that she had her legs clinging to a low-rising support beam, hooked to keep her from falling. It seemed that she was doing…pull-ups? Upside down curl-ups? He blinked owlishly, trying to figure what exactly he was seeing.

"Eighty-nine…ninety…ninety-one…ninety-two…" Every time she went up, she sucked in a breath, held it and let it out when she paused every time she came down and then pulled herself up and called her current number quietly. Another thing that caught him off guard was…what she wore. It looked like a very short, confining shirt, but he wasn't sure, and some billowy shorts. He couldn't see her feet, so he wasn't sure if she wore shoes, but he highly doubted it. A barrel was a foot below her head and her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, resting on the barrel every time she went down.

"Ninety-nine…a hundred…a hundred one…"

She hadn't seen him, but of course, she had eyes tightly screwed shut, and he could see a light sheen of sweat on her forehead and her stomach. It wasn't exactly smooth, but neither was it…hard core ripped with abs. Lightly, he could make out bumps here and there; faint formations of abs, but they were barely peaking through. And when he didn't pay attention to the sloshing water, the bleats of the sheep and goats, and Lupin's grunts of exertion to keep going at her little workout, he heard, faintly, blaring music and he saw a black object clipped to her waistline. Her music box, or iPod or whatever it was called.

So…this was where she went? To have peace and quiet; solitude to work out?

"A…hundred…fifteen…"

She coughed a few times, wiped her brow as she came up and then came back down, panting, then went back five more times before stopping, letting herself hang upside for a few more moments. Once again, she pushed herself to go back up, but this time she latched onto the wooden beam that she pinned her legs to and slowly pulled them out, groaning.

"Oww…ow, ow, ow…" Lightly, she stepped onto the barrel and lowered herself to the ground, wincing as a wave of water splashed against her bare feet. Sitting down, she inspected her heels and ankles before sighing, taking a few moments to breath and to take out her earphones. Then she began to rub her calves and thighs, slowly.

Finally, Edward felt he should make himself known, to let her know he was there. He cleared his throat and she jolted, almost falling off of the barrel she had perched herself on. Holding the area over her heart, she coughed a few times and pulled up a bottle from behind the barrel and took a long swig of it. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she clutched the bottle and Ed grinned sheepishly. He didn't know she was that easily scared.

"Jesus! Don't sneak up on me like that! Trying to send me to an early grave, are ya?" Her breathing leveled out after she let out a shudder and she took a few deep breaths. "What're you doing here?" Lupin finally asked when he finally found a dry seat.

Ed paused at the question, before shrugging in way of response. "Nothing better to do, I suppose. I was just curious as to where you went." He said simply. Lupin stared at him, almost as if suspecting he had more on his mind. It was half-true, really. He wanted to say he was a little impressed that she had found time every other day to come down here and do this.

Lupin studied his face, and for a moment, he almost squirmed under her gaze. It almost seemed to pentrate him. Finally, she dropped it and took another sip of her beverage. He raised a brow and she rolled her eyes. "Relax, it's water, not whiskey or rum. Why, did you want some?" Her eyes sparkled wickedly and Ed rolled his eyes.

"I prefer brandy, but I don't drink often."

She blinked in surprise at his answer before shaking her head. He grinned at her momentary confusion. Lupin sighed.

"Sometimes Bish comes down here and she has me do pilates and yoga with her."

"And you?" Ed inquired, pressing for more. She shrugged again.

"I show her a few simple moves to use in case she gets into trouble that just won't go away with a simple curse word or two. Or, I come down here alone and do a few curl-ups, a few sit-ups. I've been doing it for the past few weeks, every other day of the week. Bish comes once or twice with me, and other times, she comes alone, too. We have our own little schedules." She answered glibly. Ed nodded.

"I sometimes thought about doing that with Al. Come down somewhere and work out a little, get rid of this restlessness I've been supressed with. But, the types of workouts I do with Alphonse, they require a lot more space."

"You mean sparring." She stated. He stared, taken aback. Once again, her simple response was a shrug. She seemed to not be in the mood for answering first; instead she just shrugged first, then answered.

"When I was keeping an eye on you when you were sick, I had to take off your shirt and I saw you were…pretty ripped." She started hesitantly at first before she had to finally repress a smile when she ended. She snickered a little before regaining her composure and adding. "I'm sorry, you must feel weird with me laughing about that…sorry."

If he hadn't known her, he probably would have gotten angry with her, even if it had been a joke. But, instead, he merely sighed. "I'm just surprised you didn't freak at my automail…"

"Ah…that what you call it?" She cocked her head to the side, her eyes flickering to glance at his right arm and then his left foot. He almost squirmed under her once again quiet and observing gaze but held his composure and she sighed.

"Well…that's what it's called where I'm from." He answered truthfully.

"Those prosthetics are much more advanced than what the 1920's had." She paused. "You're…not some kind of alien are you?" Her face was serious, but her voice wavered with hidden laughter and Ed found himself shaking his head before Lupin cleared her throat.

"That's…not what I meant. Not…extraterrestrials. I meant…from another world."

He swore he felt his heart jump into his mouth at her simple comment and he held his breath, staring at her in surprise, however well he tried to hide it. Did she know? He didn't want anyone else to know. The last person he had tried to tell, he was killed… His lips twitched and thinned out before he swallowed thickly and stood up from his seat, ignoring the fact that water had washed all over his shoes and soaked his socks through.

"I've…gotta go and find Alphonse." He mumbled before he picked up his lanturn and turned to leave, but he paused and turned to look over his shoulder. Lupin still sat there, in her short little shirt—although, it might have been called something else—and shorts, staring at him, almost as if disappointed.

"Amestris…that's…that's where Al and I are from." He told her before he left.

Lupin watched him go in silence, clutching her iPod in her hands, turning it over and over as she unwrapped the earphones and she looked down in her lap, smiling quietly to herself.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Just to note, for some reason, my emails ain't receiving much from and I'm trying to figure out why. So, if I accidentally forget someone in the review thanks section, let me know; I'm still trying to fix the whole "not getting reviews from stories" thing right now. **


	17. When Worlds Collide

**Chapter Sixteen:  
When Worlds Collide**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Mae**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Finally figured out why my messages were being blocked. :3 Fixed it and now I'm back in business. And, I'm feeling much better from my surgery on Tuesday (June 3rd), so I'm blessing you all with this update when I should be resting. Enjoy.**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_If you run, you might lose. If you don't run, you're guaranteed to lose.  
_**- Jesse Jackson**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

For the past few days, the _Pearl_ sailed down the western coast of Spain, and finally got to the tip, slipping through the Strait of Gibraltar without hassle with other ships, and especially, without sight of Norrington. Edward had suspected that even if his ship was especially equipped for war, he had obviously been caught up in that last hurricane. Supplies must have either needed to be discarded or they were dumped on accident.

Al had noticed that too and spoke of his observations, noting that Norrington's cannons had long since stopped before the _Pearl_'s did. Bish didn't really care; as long as they were on their way, Jack finished with his business up in that prison, and then they went to the voodoo witch lady. So long as they got home BEFORE they became free game for the Kraken, she was fine, just fucking peachy.

Now, it was another early day: hot, humid and muggy. "Welcome to the Mediterranean…" Lupin muttered nonchalantly as she saw one of the men—Li, an Asian looking man; she honestly didn't know his ethnicity and thought it would have been rude if she just upright asked him—fan his face with a limp rag. She then realized later that it had been a ragged old scarf.

Pityingly, she looked at her friend fan herself with her hand, practically melting in the stifling atmosphere. Al seemed to be faring no better, but he didn't complain. Bish, however, did, but Lupin merely listened, sympathizing with her friend. Lupin knew she preferred the cold and every time a breath of colder air swept past the _Pearl_, Bish reveled in its brief taste greatly. But, the wolf had to pity Ed the most. Unlike his brother, he had to keep on all his clothes, and gloves and shoes, while he worked alongside the other men. Al could take off a shirt where Ed couldn't and it was because Ed didn't want to expose his automail in front of the pirates. On one hand, Lupin could understand; it was steel and it could be a well sought after metal—she couldn't remember, but iron was weaker than steel and most things were used with iron in these times if she recalled correctly—plus, it was something they could try to steal.

So, he had to suffer through the sweltering heat. Often times, upon her observation when she was taking a break from the lessons Jack had her go through—Bish blatantly refused to take any lessons that included going aloft and setting down sails and surprisingly, Jack allowed for it—mostly just for an extra hand and to keep her busy, Al would talk to Ed quietly, out of earshot of everyone.

She couldn't lip read what they were saying, but she had an idea of what Al was talking to Ed about. But, time after time, Ed would shake his head and go back to work, sweating it out like everyone else. _Hard worker, you are, but you're going to work yourself into a heatstroke if you don't watch it._

Now she was sitting next to Bish, back against the railing, silently breathing in the muggy air—well, it was more like drinking the air than breathing in it, it was that thick… Bish moaned.

"It's hot…so hot…I want AC…I want a fan…I want the fucking wind, for all I care, just something cold…" She complained.

Lupin patted her on the shoulder consolingly, not able to find the right words to summon, except, "I can sympathize, I know you do, hun." She inhaled as deeply as she could, disliking how thick the air was, but at the same time, enjoying how clear it was, much clearer than the outskirts of L.A. or L.A. itself. "You could not PAY ME to live in that hellhole." She had often said with a disgruntled look in her eye.

She sighed just as Gibbs came towards her, motioning to her to get up as he did. "Lupin, hurry it up now, lass, yer to go aloft today."

The wolf blinked rapidly, her eyes suddenly lighting up. Bish rolled her eyes. "Have fun and don't break anything, cause I'm not mending it for you."

"Oh, thanks a lot, whore."

"Why thank you. Now go on, go up and scuttle around like that fucking monkey."

Letting out a round of laughter, Lupin followed Gibbs to the shrouds, eyeing the flimsy rope ladder, suddenly feeling her excitement tone down before she pulled a veil of calmness over her. It was just like her intercept course at Outward Bound, with the rock climbing portion of the trip…only she wouldn't be supported by any ropes, just her own two hands and feet. Turning to Gibbs, she made special care to keep her mind focused on what he said.

It had been fine when she was climbing around when the _Pearl_ was docked and not moving; if she fell, she'd just fall into the water and swim to shore. But now, there would be winds yanking at her, stronger as she climbed higher, she knew. Nodding when Gibbs had finished, he called for Alphonse and the taller young man came and stood by Lupin. She looked up at him and he smiled at her reassuringly.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Edward moving to sit with Bish in the shade, face drenched in as much sweat as the Guatemalan woman—maybe a little more, considering he was working whilst Bish was cooling off as much as she could in the shade. It was a rather lazy day, but some of the lines, Lupin figured, needed to be tied down and that was where her lessons aloft would start, she supposed.

"Mr. Elric will be taking you aloft an' show you how to tie down the lines an' keep yerself from falling over, lass. He's more suited fer the job than his brother, I'm afraid."

She almost snickered at that, but caught herself in time. However, she couldn't help but notice the small smile on Al's lips and she let out a single snort—her only sign of amusement at that comment. Gibbs looked between the two, almost as if to say more and Lupin figured he didn't fully approve of her going aloft…yet.

Considering, for one, she was a woman learning the ropes of the ship—something that was frowned upon greatly in these times; seeing as she and Bish just being on the _Black Pearl_ was considered 'bad luck'—and for another, she _wanted_ to learn. But, the weathered man nodded finally, and looked over the two's shoulders to see Jack standing on the stairwell to the port side of the ship, watching silently.

Lupin looked over her shoulder before turning back to meet Gibbs' eyes and they brightened, if only slightly. "Well, off with you two. Mr. Elric, be mindful of her an' make sure she doesn't fall. It'd be a bit o' mess to clean up after."

Her jaw dropped as the man strode past them towards Jack and she looked to Al. "Dude! What the hell!" She managed to squeak out and Al smiled, if only nervously before it became more than a little confident, as if to reassure her. She groaned.

"Don't worry, I won't allow you to fall, Lupin. Besides, I think Bishquet would kill me if I did." He chuckled and Lupin smiled, stifling her sudden laughter.

"God, I know…she'd try to bring me back just to kill me too, for being so fucking stupid. THEN she'd kill you."

Returning her uneasy gaze back to the shrouds, she suddenly wondered how the men climbed with such ease and agility. Sighing, Lupin turned back to Alphonse, wiping her brow. It was too hot, but she felt a stirring of energy suddenly bubble forward.

"Well, let's get going, I wanna learn something, not stand around all day!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"What're you mumbling?"

Curiosity lined the younger Elric's face and Lupin clenched her legs a little tighter around the mast, breathing extra deeply to feel the lifeline press against her waist. Constricted, she let out her lungful of air and breathed in a little less of the muggy, but slightly cooler air.

"A song." She answered bluntly and simply after a moment's realization that he had been listening.

"From your time, you mean." He answered. She nodded. It was technically true. But it still felt surreal to be saying, 'your time' or 'your world'. In fanfiction, it seemed all right; it was written words, not real life. "What's it called?"

She shrugged. "It's a song by a band named _Korn_—it's spelled with a 'K', not a 'C' and I don't know why, but that's how they spell it—but another band called _Evanescence_ had sang it at one of their concerts. When a band does a song by another band or singer at a concert, it's called a cover song. The song's called _Thoughtless_."

He tilted his head slightly to the side, listening and nodding, showing that he was paying attention to what she was saying. She shrugged again. "It sounded…interesting."

Lupin broke out grinning. "What, you heard all that? Pffft, you ain't heard nothing, boy. Besides, you should hear how Amy Lee, my music goddess, sings the song. Bish and I shall have to convert you and Ed to a fair share of _Evanescence_, _Muse_, _Linkin Park_, _Korn_, _Slipknot_, and some other stuff before we go; Bish will cover her stuff, I'll cover mine." She paused for a moment to copy Al's quick motions at tying something into a complicated knot, but had to be corrected after getting mixed up at one point. She hadn't realized how picky he could be at perfection.

"Besides," She finally concluded after a while, "That's one of the songs that's keeping me from looking down and panicking. S' making me keep my cool, you know? It's one of those songs that you sing for years to calm your nerves…"

"I suppose everyone has their own method. I don't feel uncomfortable being up here, so long as I know something's keeping me up here, I guess." Al shrugged. Lupin tugged at a sheet and they both pulled it down a little farther and he tied it off, Lupin keeping hold of it. "Brother doesn't seem to like it up here, but doesn't say anything, really, though."

"Heh, I'm not too found of heights m'self, but if I gotta do it, I'll do it."

After a while, the conversation shifted and then faded. Lupin later went back to singing quietly under her breath as they finally descended back down to the decks, feeling very useful for once, besides just being the cook on board.

"_Why are you trying to make fun of me?  
You think it's funny?  
What the _fuck_ you think it's doing to me?  
You take your turn lashing out at me  
I want you crying with your dirty ass in front of me…_"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"That's the main mast up there, the mizzenmast and over there, the foremast. The topsails are over there, the lower and upper topsails over there and there, and the lower and upper topgallant sails right over…there." Lupin answered, her hand flying around to point at the specifics mentioned.

Jack nodded. "Very good. An' yer directions, ship-wise?"

"Bow, stern, port, and starboard." She pointed once more, and once again, Jack nodded, approving of her answers. He paced around her and she watched in interest, eyeing the colorful beads and objects tied in his braids and dreadlocks. _I want beads in my hair…_She thought randomly. She's had wooden beads strung up in her braids before, when she was bored, but they didn't stay long; the base of her braid would always loosen up so she would always have to undo it and take out the beads.

"Good, very good." He muttered before pausing and half-turning to her, he added, "Why is it yer friend won't come t' join us? She don't like the company o' pirates?"

Lupin blinked, taken aback at the personal question he had asked her. It was more personal for Bishquet rather than her, but she still felt a little…awkward, in the least. She fidgeted and Jack watched her from the corner of his eye, waiting.

"Um…to be honest, I don't think she really cares. She just wants to go home."

"An' you don't, is that it?" He pressed a little more. Lupin sighed.

"Nothing like that…I want to learn how you guys operate at sea. And…you guys seem a bit more laid back than I…pictured." She answered truthfully. Jack turned fully and faced her, standing at his full height, albeit he swayed on his spot. Lupin felt the muscles between her shoulders grow taut as he surveyed her with his eyes, as if looking for something else. Finally he answered her, vaguely.

"You should 'ave been 'ere fer the hurricane. Not as laid back as you would think through one of those."

She relaxed slightly, if only that. Even if Jack was a figure of admiration, in the very least, he was still a pirate and that sword hanging suspended at his side was not meant for decoration and neither was the pistol in his sash. He could and would use them, she knew, if the occasion presented itself to him, but she also knew he was not keen on mindless slaughter.

Only motivation would really make the eccentric pirate draw either weapon. The pistol, however, was used on Jack the Monkey all too often as target practice. And, even drunk he had a damned good aim.

"I may not have been in the one you, your men and the _Pearl_ went through, but Bishquet and I did go through a major natural disaster, same as Edward and Alphonse. We didn't ask for this to happen to us, so do not forget that, Captain Sparrow." Lupin answered coolly, keeping her voice as neutral as she could.

However, she did not expect such a quick retaliation, yet at the same time, she did expect one, oddly enough.

"An' do not forget, Miss Hawkins, that I did not ask fer you an' your friends t' be suddenly dropped onto my ship like you had. Remember that I am offering you shelter an' food, an', might I add, protection. Yer haven may be a pirate ship, but it is also a death sentence if yer caught by the Navy or East India Trading Company."

He paused and Lupin merely stared back, trying to numbly gather some sort of way to reply to that, but she wasn't able to summon any words; she was blank. She pursed her lips and studied his tan face before he sighed.

"I don't mean anything against you or yer friends, darlin', I just want you t' know what yer getting into. Yer takin' a big risk by stayin' 'ere, luv…you an' yer friends. You all could 'ave just left when we were in port, risk findin' another way home."

She chose silence as an answer for a few more moments before finding her words once again. "I'm not speaking for everyone's behalf, but only my own…I believe that your friend or friends may be able to help us." She paused, letting her words sink in before adding, "What exactly are you looking for in this prison? Where is it, exactly, anyways?"

It was merely a cover for her tracks. The way he had looked at her when she said she believed his friend would help made her uneasy and she almost wanted to look away from him when his eyes darkened over slightly. But she held his gaze, determined not to slip up. She knew exactly where he was going and what he was doing and looking for.

All thanks to Wikipedia and _Pirates of the Caribbean_-related online articles: especially Captain Jack Sparrow ones caught her attention and kept her interested. Jack studied her face for a couple moments longer, his lips twitching and he cleared his throat a little.

"I thought I've already told you afore. A key-maker."

"A key…for what, exactly? Enlighten me, I'm intrigued."

His eyes sparkled for only a moment before it was snuffed out. "Yer straying from yer lesson, young missy."

Lupin rolled her eyes. "Just remember Jack, that in my time, I can easily look up all the information I need without ever having needing to set foot on an 18th century ship." She paused before adding, "Besides, how do you think I know all this stuff, eh? The _Black Pearl_ is a galleon, known for her speed because of the large sails she carries and she has thirty-two twelve pound cannons; eighteen on the gun deck and fourteen on the upper deck. But strangely, for a pirate ship, she doesn't have any at stern or bow, but I'm guessing what you lack in armament, you make up in speed."

He blinked at her, kohl-rimmed eyes narrowed ever so slightly before his lips once again twitched in reaction, but Lupin only guessed out of amusement. He paused for a moment, suddenly noticing a few of his men having stopped in their work to stare at the teenager throwing back information to their captain's face. He stared at them for a few long moments, and Lupin soon joined him, her own kohl-rimmed eyes more faded than the captain's and the men stared back at them.

Finally, Jack made for them to go and waved them off and immediately, they dispersed, as if disinterested. Only Gibbs remained and he stepped forward, mindful of the conversation the wolf was leading herself into. She was merely a child; unknowing of what the captain was seeking and she was that very much younger than Elizabeth Swann save by a few years.

Jack eyed the elder pirate and then turned back to the smug-looking wolf, the gleam of supposed victory in her eyes. She raised a brow questioningly, almost as if to say, "I'm waiting."

Jack let out a simple sigh. "Darlin', do not take this the wrong way, but you 'ave no business prying into what which isn't yers."

"But you make it your business to teach me how to sail and let me flaunt about on the ship instead of locking me away in the brig…not that I'm asking to be locked away." She added quickly at the end. Gibbs grunted once and muttered something that sounded awfully like a curse to the wolf, but she ignored the incomprehensible comment. Jack stared her down, not budging or offering anything to her. Lupin sighed.

"Is it such a crime to be curious? I may not be a pirate, but I am sailing on the same ship as everyone else here, and I think after all these weeks of sitting in the dark, WE deserve an explanation." If this didn't work, then she didn't have anything else to throw except maybe a tantrum, but she wasn't twelve anymore; she was nineteen. She would be twenty in April and it was…late August? September? She couldn't even remember what month it was! It made her want to snap and start cursing under her breath at her own stupidity, but she refrained. She'd just have to turn on her computer and see. It should tell her, even when having been off for a few weeks a time now.

And the silence on Jack's end did not help much, but he started to pace around her in a less-than-graceful manner, Gibbs keeping his eye on her. The seasoned sailor was strongly reminded of Elizabeth Swann, all too much. Lupin was far too independent, strong-willed and if it made up in anything, stubborn as the fires of hell to be just a petite young woman. She did not live a sheltered life, wherever it was she and her friend came from; her hands were rougher than most women's he's met in his life. But, in another manner, he was also reminded of Anamaria as well. Actually, Bishquet did more than Lupin: that woman had more of a mouth on her than Lupin did.

"Yer very perceptive fer one so young, Miss Hawkins. I'm almost loathe t' deny you an' yer friends more information than necessary, but I won't be sayin' much anymore about what me business is fer comin' up here." He paused to let his words sink in and the faint trickle of disappointment lined her eyes, but just as she started to nod, as if to understand, he added, "But I do plan on telling you an' yer friends something quite soon. You can go now, yer lessons fer the day are through with."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He heard pattering before he saw her. Grumbles and a curse here and there were heard too, and he figured Bish was there as well, holed up in that cubby with Lupin. The curtain was pinned back and he spotted Lupin and Bish, characteristically within one another's presence. They were both on their thin, black sleek machines, staring into a glowing face that was usually blank and glassy whenever he saw the items. Lupin had earphones on and they seemed to be fed into the computer itself, while Bish was listening to her iPod. It made Ed wonder how they were able to keep their electronic devices from dying. They most likely ran on electricity, obviously, so it was a mystery to him.

He almost cleared his throat, but stopped before he started, realizing it would have been very stupid if he did so. The bell from somewhere rang a few times, signaling that it was five in the evening. Lupin would have to start dinner now, but she wasn't even aware of the bell tolling. Her eyes were focused on the screen before her, the object balanced on her legs and her ears focused on the music playing in her ears.

Bish noticed him and smiled, giving a shrug to him and tugged out one of the nubs. "S'up, Ed? You need something?" She asked.

He tilted his head to the side slightly, glancing upwards before returning his gaze to find both Lupin and Bish now staring at him. Slowly Lupin tugged out her nubs, pattered a few more keys on her keyboard and then waited for another few seconds before closing the computer and stowing it on top of her cot.

"It's five, I gotta go make dinner, hun."

Ed paused as Lupin began to jam on her coat, and Bish only shrugged. "Okay, then. Make something fun. Ooh, if we have noodles, making something worthwhile with those." She squirmed excitedly and Lupin chuckled.

"How'd you know it was five? The bell rang while you had your earphones on."

Lupin sighed as she walked past him and they both started towards the galley. "Well, my computer has a clock on it. I simply looked at it and found out the time."

He looked taken aback by her answer. A clock? In the computer? How odd…

She seemed to notice his confusion and she chuckled. "Things have changed since the nineteen-twenties, Edward. Things are pretty much the same, but just a little faster. You'd probably be amazed at what we do in our time… It's kinda too bad you won't be able to see it yet." Her voice sounded so disappointed at the end and she fell silent. He frowned, feeling a little left out. Here she was, most likely fully educated on all things that were yet to come for him, and she knew more than him. She must have been planning on going to college after going home from her vacation, but now…

Edward sighed before a thought crossed his mind and he smiled a little. Maybe talking about something she enjoyed would ease her homesickness a little more.

"Well…can you tell me a little bit about your time period? You're so quiet on the subject, I'd almost think you're touchy."

Lupin glared at him from the corner of her eye and sniffed pointedly, "I am NOT touchy. I just don't like talking about it because it reminds me of home. But…considering you told me you and your brother burned yours down a long time ago, you probably wouldn't understand that feeling."

…Ouch.

Harsh blow.

He winced at her words and felt anger creep up. Edward's hackles raised and bristled but Lupin seemed oblivious and he honestly didn't like how frosty her voice had been.

"What's your problem? You don't need to act like such an ice queen to me, I was only asking a question."

She turned on him and he stopped in surprise as she berated him further. "In case you hadn't noticed, Bish and I have family waiting at home, meaning that they are not with us. You have all your family with you, and you don't have a home, do you? And, also in case you hadn't noticed, it gets harder every day to not cry my eyes dry, so PARDON ME, if I snap because I'm _**HOMESICK**_."

And with that, she stalked away silently, shoulders shaking with dry sobs, clearly upset by her own outburst or perhaps it was the cold reminder that she was stuck here with no way to return home that Ed had unwittingly brought up? He watched her go, oddly empty of emotion all of sudden. It was hard to get upset with her now, seeing as she spoke rationally, truthfully. Homesick… He sighed. Bish was harder to get a reading from; she always had a mask covering her face and seemed like she could block out her emotions easily with a simple thought, but Lupin…

Lupin had a harder time, obviously. She was easier to depict when she didn't have her poker face on, and the wolf was the more easily emotional one that Bish. No wonder Lupin kept looking to her friend for comfort; Bish could effortlessly console her friend like an older sibling and had often times kept Lupin in line more than once. It was something Ed found admiring in the Hispanic woman, but he was surprised neither one of them hadn't had a breakdown yet.

Edward contemplated on following Lupin, but thought better on it. She was one step away from breaking down and he was sure it wasn't crying either. More like brimstone and fire of a breakdown really, and he frankly didn't want to be the one to cause such a revelation. So, instead, he doubled back to find Bish, planning to give Lupin some space and to find someone to talk to, seeing as Al was aloft and wouldn't be down until dinner.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It started out normally. Dinner was being served, and Lupin had seemingly calmed down since her cold snap at Edward. He hadn't told Al yet about it, but Bish had actually somehow needled it from him, so he finally gave up withholding the scene that had happened and told her. Bish had just told him to not worry; she'd mellow out later and it seemed as though Bish had been right. Lupin wasn't exactly acting so happy, but neither was she moody and bad-tempered any longer now.

But, it all changed as soon as Harper opened his mouth at her in an ill-mannered way. He had noticed how dark her eyes gotten, but how blank her face reverted. Bish hissed besides him and stiffened. Lupin however, didn't make a move against the man, who seemed to enjoy openly berating the wolf. She simply stood there, clenching and unclenching her fists around the wooden utensil in her hands. Al furrowed his brows at the man's ugly comments.

"Look, I'm sorry, but this is dinner for the night and I—,"

Edward began to move towards the man, pushing aside a few of the other men but Bish shoved past him faster, and he stood for a moment, surprised at the smaller woman. Before he could regain his composure, Bish was already at Harper and had swung a fist into his jaw, snarling viciously.

"Don't you EVER fucking _DARE_ talk to Lupin like that again, you butt fucking son of a bitch! I will fucking drag you along the bottom of the goddamn ocean on that motherfucking anchor until you die, you asshole! Do you understand me, jackass?"

Lupin's eyes widened in surprise and the wolf took a step back, blinking a few times rapidly, clutching the utensil close to her chest. The air was still and Harper, who had gone down on the punch Bish delivered to his jaw, stared bug-eyed at the Hispanic woman and her more than colorful language, nodding mutely. He crawled away slowly a few feet before getting up and leaving as fast as he could. The other men simply stared in a hushed silence at the woman and she turned on them, dark eyes burning.

"And if any of you give her trouble, or me, I swear to fucking God, I will do the same to you all as well. You got me?" Her voice was as cold as ice, but as wicked as a viper's fang and the men all nodded in mute agreement. The Hispanic woman turned to her friend and although Ed and Al couldn't see her face any longer, the way Lupin's face became less strained, they figured Bish's hard and cold demeanor softened. Placing a hand Lupin's shoulder, the wolf began to nod to the woman's soft words before Bish turned and the men parted away from her like the Red Sea.

Coming back to stand besides Ed and Al, she picked up her bowl, having dropped it and held it gingerly in her hand, falling silent as once again, dinner began to be served, although the men were more than quiet now.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish's lips formed into a pout and she would have whimpered, but refrained from doing so. This was nothing; she could live with this little grievance, this annoyance. But the fact that her wrist wasn't feeling all too right and it was swelling, along with her knuckles ever so slightly was a cause for concern. Maybe punching that guy in the jaw wasn't the best of ideas… _I should have kicked that fucker in the balls._ She thought bitterly.

Sighing, she tried to move her right wrist around in circles, but it hurt to do so. She stopped trying and let it rest gingerly in her lap. Eating had been a little awkward; she had to use her left hand instead and that had flagged down the Elric brothers' attention. She of course, waved and fended them off, threatening them to leave her alone or she take a knife and shave off their hair while they slept if they bothered her any more.

Edward had grumbled moodily under his breath, but Alphonse had shown more grimace than his brother. After dinner, Bish had cleaned her bowl as best she could and retreated back to the cubby. Lupin wasn't there and she figured the wolf was working out once again in the bilge, or whatever it was that Lupin called it, blasting her ears out with _Linkin Park_, _Slipknot_ or _Muse_; whatever really appealed to her tastes from night to night.

And Bish would have joined her, too, if her wrist hadn't worried her for the better part of the hour. She fretted. "I'm the doctor, I should be able to fix this!" She whined to no one in particular, but she got a reply anyway.

"Well, if you can't seem to fix it, then would mind letting me take a look?"

She would have jumped, but upon recognizing the voice, she merely turned her head sharply, nearly knocking her glasses askew. Pushing them back up the bridge of her nose, she frowned. It was Alphonse.

"I thought I said not to worry about it. I'm fine."

He scuffled inside and sat down, tilting his head to the side; something Bish oddly linked to Edward. It must have been one of those traits Al picked up from Ed. She hadn't been paying attention to his hands and almost yelped when one shot forward and gently seized her wrist, testing it for the soreness she had been aching to get to since dinner. He rubbed along her fingertips, knuckles, hand and wrist in a gentle manner, testing it all.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she made due to a disgruntled whine in the back of her throat and Al frowned. "I thought so. You did something when you punched Harper, didn't you? That's why you were eating with your left hand and cradling your right."

"I wasn't _cradling_ it, per say…" She grumbled sullenly but the stern look he gave her made her roll her eyes. "_Fine_, it hurts, but only a little bit. It's not like I broke my wrist or dislocated my fingers though. I think I just popped it or strained something."

He nodded, and his eyes fell to her wrist and gently he began to prod in that general area the most, asking her if it hurt. After another five minutes, he had concluded she had merely strained a muscle and that she'd have to be a little gentler with her hand while wrapping it up tightly with some ace bandages he located in the first aid kit. Bish wriggled her fingers and sighed, annoyed.

"Well, well, you know some things about helping others now, do you?" She asked glibly, raising a brow at Alphonse. He merely shrugged and offered an earnest smile, nodding.

"Traveling around with brother isn't exactly a fancy party, Bishquet. We had to learn some things while on the road." He answered, and Bish felt that it was too vague an answer. He had failed to mention, traveling between worlds or his training with Izumi Curtis. Now, she knew a little less than Lupin, but she knew plenty to get her by now. But, she merely nodded at his answer, keeping most of her thoughts to herself.

"Thank you, for helping me get this done, I mean. I would have asked Lupin, but she scampered off to cool down." Bish answered honestly, frowning at her friend. Lupin had been concerned, but of course, Bish told her off, saying she was fine and that she'd take care of it. The Hispanic woman had seen the hesitance in her friend's face before the wolf disappeared. Truly, Bish was amazed at how well Lupin was holding up, but after spending a few years with her, Lupin had picked up a few traits from Bish, just as Al had most likely picked up a few from Ed.

Alphonse nodded and smiled sincerely. "You're quite welcome. I had a feeling you needed some help. I'm just glad that nothing was serious."

Bish couldn't help but return the smile he gave her and nodded. "Well, thank you again, but I think I'm going to go to bed now. Lupin will be back soon, so if you see her, let her know so she doesn't come tromping through like the circus is in town."

He said he would and as he removed his hand from hers, his fingers trailed against the back of her hand, but paused before leaving. "Bish…I was just wondering… What happened, after the war Lupin told us about?"

She blinked in response, confused before her mind caught up. "You mean War World II?" He nodded. "Oh…well…everyone went back to normal, I guess. I think there were some trials against the Nazis, Europe went under reconstruction and America was considered one of the top superpowers, aside from Russia and I think China. I don't really remember much, Al, I'm sorry. I haven't studied my world history in years now, but Lupin would be able to tell you more." She answered truthfully, apologizing. It was sadly true enough. Lupin had openly admitted her mind was the landfill for useless information, history of all sorts—whether it was real or fictional for a story or show setting—and other miscellaneous junk that Bish had found little to no interest in.

He sighed quietly, but showed no signs of distress or irritation. "That's all right, Bish. I'll ask her when it's not so late, but thank you." He replied before taking her good hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Bish had thought he was done and was about to take her hand back, but stopped when he had pressed his lips against her knuckles. She stared, dumbfounded and he chuckled softly.

"Goodnight, Bish. I'll see you in the morning."

He left her and she stared at the spot he had been in, her knuckles still tingling from when he had kissed them and finally, she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Gaping, she closed it and then found her voice again, blinking rapidly.

"…What the fuck?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Okay…so far, I've been very lenient. But…as greedy and selfish as it sounds…**

**I'd like a few more reviews. **

**Or there will be no new updates for a very, very long time. I'm on painkillers and drugs from my wisdom teeth surgery, and I'd like a little love. And I quote, "**_**I do not have a pain management problem, I have a **_**pain**_** problem.**_**" So…pity the fool who's in pain and show me (and my story) some love. Or, as I've stated before, there will be no updates for a very long time. Months, even. I have no problems with that; I can merrily keep writing and keep you all in suspense. So, either you review, or no updates. **

**Of course, it could be the drugs talking for me right now, but who knows? I could be too **_**stoned**_** to tell. And that was a joke; but the no new updates thing wasn't a joke. So, review. Please. **


	18. Grooming Tips

**Chapter Seventeen:  
Grooming Tips**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Mae**

**Darkness-Chill**

**Tiggeranddash **

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**To answer the questions about the electronic devices and how they still work… Well, they were in the waterproof bags, for one, and for another… Well, that one will be explained in later chapters, but I will say that it is something that's being experimented with at this very moment on the iPhone right now and it's a natural way to regain energy, even if it's not through electrical outlets. :3 **

**Also…some of you may (or may not) feel like I'm blackmailing you into reviewing. Well…technically it's true. I want love, but using my wisdom teeth was a very low, but pretty damned well efficient method of getting what I wanted. (Snerks) But, anyway, appreciate the love; I send it back in the form of cyber cookies and brownies. They come in peace. (Holds out the delectable treats)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO  
**_  
Your disability is your opportunity.  
_**- Kurt Hahn**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin hadn't come back until the second shift was waking up for the night. Her face was lined with sweat, her arms and legs ached, but her stomach hurt the worst of all. Holding it gingerly, she felt the forming abs and was startled at how vivid they seemed to feel, as opposed to about three or four weeks prior when they were barely even there. A frown touched her lips as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and fiddled with the end of her jacket sleeve before pulling it over herself as she saw movement in the forecastle. Passing Marty, he grunted to her and she followed him until he reached his hammock and he yanked off his shoes before collapsing into it.

The wolf saw Alphonse sleeping in his own and she figured that it wasn't his shift, but Ed's hammock was empty. She must have just missed him. Sighing, Lupin found her painful way back to the cubby, relieved to lie down and just let her throbbing body rest. Unclipping her iPod, she shoved it back into her book bag and rolled over, groaning at the uncomfortable position she had worked herself into for the night. _I'll definitely be feeling this in the morning…_

However, sleep came faster for her, something she was grateful in her last conscious moments.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She had been right. When she woke up, she was sore all over. Everything ached, and it hurt to move at all. But, that damned bell was so loud, it hurt her pounding head and finally Lupin rolled over and groaned as she sat up, carefully arching her back and stretching it out as far as her tender muscles would allow. She whined.

"I huuuurrt…"

Gingerly, she found the strength to get up and pulling at the hair tie on her wrist, she began to finger comb through her hair, getting at as much of the knots as she could before she deftly braided it quickly, finishing as she reached the galley. An hour later, she had breakfast ready and everyone was awake and about.

Harper was sporting an ugly bruise, which stood out starkly against his dark skin. He kept his eyes downcast and muttered something under his breath but Lupin didn't question whether it was an insult or a word of thanks. It didn't really matter to the wolf anymore. Twirling the utensil in her hand, she picked up Jack's bowl—Gibbs had given it to her this time—and began to put the food she made into it when she felt a hand descend on her shoulder. It sent a spark of throbbing, dull pain around her arm and she groaned. "Ooowww… Don't squeeze, it hurts…" She simpered.

"Sorry. What'd you do?" She turned to find Ed there, looking more than a little tired. She grinned sleepily herself.

"What do you think?" She asked in return, rolling her shoulders gently. She groaned again. "It hurts…I don't like feeling sore…"

She wanted to flick him or maybe smack him upside the head at the smirk.

"Well, what do you expect if you're training your body? How long have you been out of shape?"

"Pardon me, but I'm never out of shape, thank you." She sniffed pointedly, glaring at him mildly as she gave him his food. "I just hadn't worked out since high school let out and I flew down to the Caribbean for my sailing trip with Bishquet. I only started working out about a month ago."

He looked at her critically. "And you graduated, when?"

"Why do you want to know? It's not any of your business." She snapped, glaring at him. He raised a brow and Lupin mentally berated herself for having snapped. _It's not his fault that he's curious. Just…calm down, breathe and get this over with…_

She sucked in a long breath and let it out slowly, her tense throbbing shoulders slowly easing themselves up. "Okay…I'm sorry I snapped. I ache, I'm sleepy and I want to go home…" She muttered nonchalantly, stirring the pot a little more out of habit. "I…graduated in June. I should be in college by now…" She said, a bit of a pained tone lining her disappointed voice. Her eyes gained a somewhat far-off look as she stared off into space before blinking and reigning herself back again. "Sorry. I should get Jack his food. I'll talk to you later."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The midday heat began to ripen as the sun climbed higher into the sky. Bish watched from the shade as Lupin continued her lessons with the crew and Jack and grunted as the heat made everything seem more sluggish than usual. _We could have gone to Italy or on a road trip, but nooo, you wanted to go sailing in the fucking Caribbean and now we're sailing with PIRATES in the fucking Mediterranean…_ _God, it's too fucking hot for this… You bitch, I blame you for all my discomfort._

And to top it all off, her wrist still wasn't better. It still hurt and even under the ace bandage, she couldn't roll it to check how swollen it was. Harper was avoiding her, so that made the day better by a marginal slice. She had scared the shit out of the men and threatened them to boot, which made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Even if she didn't have her precious car, she could still whip the shit out of these simple-minded idiots. Her eyes trailed to the masts and she spotted the monkey twirling about the lines and riggings of the masts, and a few men were aloft, including Edward and Alphonse.

It was funny, seeing Ed trying to keep his balance while working alongside his brother, who had a better time adjusting to the height. But, Bishquet assumed it was mostly because of the weight difference in Ed's fleshy limbs against his metal ones. Perhaps that was Ed's reasons for not going up as often as Al. Either way, it was still amusing to Bish.

"FOR PONY!"

Bish nearly jumped the length of the ship at the loud squeal in her ear. She whirled around on the only person she knew would dare do such a thing to her while she was suffering in the oppressive heat and glared deeply at Lupin. The wolf, in question had fallen over in a fit of laughter, giggling insanely like that had been the most hilarious joke in the world.

"Goddammit, Lupin!" She hissed when she caught her stolen breath. "You bitch! I'm sitting here, _**MELTING**_ and you're TRYING to give me a fucking heart attack! I should kill you for that crime!"

Lupin rolled over, her shoulders shaking terribly from the laughter that had stifled down and her face was screwed up with suppressed amusement as she slowly calmed down. "Oh, my God, you should've seen your face…"

Bishquet growled and would have punched a fist against the palm of her hand, but considering she was still under healing impression herself, she merely clenched her good hand threatening in the wolf's direction. "You EVER fucking do that to me, I will drag you along the 118 when we get back, you whore."

The wolf's face immediately shifted to a nervous state, her smile faltering and she laughed anxiously. Bish held her rigid glare, even though the look on Lupin's face was worth laughing at. "Fine, fine, but you have to admit that was hilarious. Come on, who loves Richard…" She cajoled, taking a few skittering steps towards the right of Bish. The Hispanic woman followed Lupin's movements until the wolf sat down besides her.

"Come on…you love Richard…you know you love that dry-witted, sarcastic undead Warlock…" She poked. Bish rolled her eyes and pushed at her friend, who rolled along with the shove and fell over.

"Don't do that again because I swear I will do what I said I would."

Lupin snorted and sat back up, leaning her head on Bish's shoulder, closing her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know you would. I remember you almost did that to one cranky-looking bitch about a year ago in Hollywood."

Bish grinned at that, reminiscing. Ah, the panicky screams and bugged out eyes…they were a treasured memory. Lupin sighed. "I'm so bored, it's not even funny."

"It's hot…" Bish complained, fanning herself again. "Get off, you're making me hotter…"

Lupin whined but lifted her head and turned her head up to look at the shrouds on either side where the men were trickling back down, Ed and Al among them. She wriggled. "I wanna draw…but I don't have any clues and I've been deprived for weeks of drawing talent…"

"How do you think I felt when I forcefully deprived myself of writing to take care of those two boneheads?" Bish grumbled. Lupin sighed again and stood up, stretching on the balls of her bare feet, arching her back.

"Ooowww… I'm still sore…"

Bish grunted. "While you're down there, why don't you get me something to drink? I wished it was cold, but anything will do right now; it's liquid."

"Sure thing. I'll be back in a few minutes."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"So this is where you disappeared to."

Ed felt a chill roll up his spine unpleasantly, and he turned to find Lupin standing near the stairwell, her head tilted to the side in a curious fashion. Although that smile on her face was anything BUT curious, she would have been the perfect picture of innocence. He sighed and wiped his sweat-lined brow, feeling the faint relief of the cool confines of the _Pearl_ continue to wash over him.

Lupin came over with semi-quiet steps and sat on his hammock besides him, grinning like a child as she sank down in it and almost fell over. She laughed. "Man, I've always wanted one of these, ever since I was a kid…" She mused. Ed rolled his eyes. She was young: nineteen, but still young. Bish, however would be turning twenty-two soon.

Lupin sighed. "You know who you remind me of?"

He wasn't exactly uncomfortable with her presence beside her, but it didn't exactly ease him either. "Enlighten me." He replied dryly.

"That guy from the _Die Hard_ series, John McClane, played by that sexy man, Bruce Willis."

"Who?" He blinked. She laughed.

"It's a couple of movies from my time. But…you sort of remind me of him, in an off-hand way." She answered. He looked at her, curious.

"And why is that?"

She took a breath and held it before letting it out slowly through her nose. "Well…you didn't get those scars drawing rockets, now did you? You…must have lived on the harder side of life. Probably pulled a few crazy stunts as a kid and saved your neck like a daredevil. Die hard."

Her answer, however hesitant and odd it was, seemed to hit home run on the life he didn't exactly want to tell her or Bish. Edward stared at her, incredulous at the wolf and Lupin managed to avoid his stare by suddenly finding interest in a speck of dirt on her boot. Flicking it off, she rubbed a thumb along the steel toe, eyes studying them.

"I'm supposing you weren't just taking care of me when I was sick." He observed, careful of his words. She could have a mind like a steel trap if he wasn't cautious and the same could be said about her friend. She had a bit of a sharper wit and a sarcastic and sadistic sense of humor.

Lupin smiled and chuckled, finally looking at his blank face. "You know how wrong that could sound if someone were given the chance to fully observe that comment?" She purred. He narrowed his eyes at her and she chuckled again, waving off his suspicions.

"Don't worry yourself, Ed. You have nothing I haven't seen except for your shiny bits of metal."

Ed's eyes widened in surprise at her unashamed comment. Lupin stood and the weight that she had once filled in the hammock disappeared and Edward was momentarily unbalanced. He steadied it quickly enough.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" He growled. She didn't…_**she **__**wouldn't**_ _**dare**_.

"I took a few art classes up at the community college. Anatomy classes, to better familiarize myself with the human body." She paused and turned to smile at him, and he didn't like how sly it looked. "I am quite familiar with the female and male body, so you don't have to worry about me being an idiot and trying to take a peak at your…package. I wouldn't need to. I have plenty of sketches to look at, thank you."

Ed felt heat rise to his face and for once, he was glad that it was too dim for the wolf to see anything in the ship's hull. He clenched a fist at his side, though, just as Lupin's gaze was softening. "That was supposed to reassure you, Ed. I didn't do anything except keep you alive, you dork, so lighten up. It was a joke, laugh for Christ's sake."

She suddenly burst into a fit of giggles, covering her smile with a hand, as she stared at him with those smiling blue-gray eyes, face framed by the shortest mahogany tufts and the rest bound by a messily-plaited braid that was flung over one shoulder. Pushing back the strands in her face, Lupin finally settled down, but the smile remained in place.

"Try not to take what I say too seriously, Ed. About two-thirds of the time, I spout out rubbish and random things, so you don't have to worry. I'll take a jab at you, but I won't mean anything for it." She started to leave, but stopped and paused before adding, "And about yesterday…I'm sorry I snapped at you. I…was just feeling frustrated. I hope I didn't upset you in any way with what I said…"

The former alchemist stared at the wolf, who had turned to look at him. Although he could make out most of her face now, seeing as she was closer to the light streaming in from the open stairwell, he was surprised by the sincerity on her face and in her voice. Finally, he found enough sense to nod and gave her a small smile, although he wasn't sure if she could make it out.

"It's all right. I understand that much. I'm sure your family misses you and you're missing them dearly. And the same goes for Bish, too. You don't have to worry about it, I understand. Also…" He paused and she blinked at him. "You were right. Alphonse is the only family I have, so having to worry about someone who's worrying about me or Al is…less than likely."

His mind drifted to Noa and he felt a pang of faint sympathy towards her. She had been worrying for the past few weeks, seeing as he and his brother have obviously not come back to Germany. But…he also felt it was right; she was no longer in harm's way with himself and Alphonse. All he could hope was that she learned that they wouldn't be back for a while and find a way back to her own way back to the Roma or perhaps settle down, have a family and live a long life. That would be more homely than him and Al.

Lupin stared at him, as if waiting for more and he sighed. "My mother died when I was young…and my father at eighteen. It's been me and Al for as long as we could remember."

"If your father died when you were eighteen, wouldn't that mean he was the only parental figure in your life?" She asked, curious, innocent. She didn't know anything. He felt his lips twitch once more.

"He was gone…for over ten years. I lived with him for about two years and Al…" He paused. "And Al…was in Amestris for a while before I could get to him."

She knit her brows gently and a frown marred her lips. "I'm sorry to hear that, I…the only family I've ever lost was my great-grandmother. I wasn't exactly close with her, per say, but…I still loved her." She answered slowly. Lupin sighed listlessly. "I'm sorry for you losses, Edward…I really am."

He felt a bitter smile rise up to his lips. "Yeah…me too."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After her talk with Ed, she finally left, feeling somewhat awkward in a sense, but also guilty. She already knew this stuff about him. She knew when Trisha had died, and when Hohenheim as well. Biting her lip, she finished rummaging through her bag for her sketchpad and found two unopened cans of Dr. Pepper that she had salvaged from the _Black Jack_—they were some of the last sodas she had, sadly.

But, as she began to rummage for her pencils, Lupin felt something circular and wooden between her fingertips and pulled it out, squinting. It was a wooden bead. She almost grinned stupidly at the object.

"Oh, I forgot I had these. I was gonna braid these in…" She muttered nonchalantly, and before she knew it, she had gathered every bead she had in her bag and pocketed them. She fished out a mechanical pencil and tucked it into the base of her braid, making sure the little clip was in place and gathered up all her things.

Bish was impatiently awaiting the wolf and had moved places to situate herself more in the shade. "What took you so long?"

Lupin shrugged. "I ran into Ed and talked for a little…sorry. Why don't you go down below decks if you don't like the heat? It's cooler down there."

Bishquet sniffed pointedly. "Because…it smells disgusting down there. I really don't know how you survive down there for long periods of time. I'm serious, it's a miracle…at night, it's bearable, but in the daytime…"

"It's the sun heating up everything. That's why it smells. It gets to me too, sometimes; you're not the only one. Plus…I can't leave my friend alone with all these crazy people! Here, a peace offering." Lupin handed Bish the Dr. Pepper and the Hispanic woman's eyes lit up like it were Christmas.

"Oh, thank you, Jebus! Something GOOD to drink!"

"Enjoy it; I've only got about four left. Then we're down to some whiskey, Caribbean rum, and I think I saw some brandy as well… I'm surprised I was able to salvage some… Maybe some other sodas, but I'm not certain…"

Bish nuzzled the soda in relish, and popped open the can and took a swig. "Oh, thank God, it's still fizzy…and even if it's warm, it's not that bad… I praise you, oh soda keeper."

Lupin rolled her eyes and set her sketchpad aside, and pulled out her beads, setting them in her lap. Taking a few hair ties she had recovered from her book bag along with the beads, she began to undo her braid and separate a strand she chose for her beads to be strung into. Tying back the bulk, she began to deftly twist and twine her hair around tightly; making sure it wasn't loose at the base as she did so. When she was done, she licked the end of her hair to make it stick together so she could lace her beads in more effectively and she saw Bish make a face from the corner of her eye.

"That…was disgusting. Ew. I can't believe you just did that."

"Well, I'm not dipping my hair in rum. That would be even more disgusting. Besides, it's just my spit, not soda."

Bish pulled a face and stuck her tongue out at the wolf, who shrugged and began to lace in her beads, randomly picking by size or shape. Halfway through, she felt like she was being watched and it wasn't Bish. Turning, she looked around until she felt the source upon her. What she found was Jack, watching in silence. It unnerved her by his quiet observance. But, finally he spoke.

"Oi…what're you doing?"

She snorted. "Well, obviously, I'm planning to take over the world." She paused and chuckled. "I'm…stringing beads onto my braid. I've been doing it for a few years now, why?"

"Yer doin' it wrong." He said casually, making a vague motion towards her braid. She blinked.

"Um…what?"

"Yer doin' it wrong." He repeated. Then he stepped forwards and motioned for her to stand before flicking her hands away and he began to undo all the beads she had already slipped onto the braid.

"H-hey! I didn't give you permission to do that!" She exclaimed, but he told her to hush up. He peered at the braid and she made a small noise at the back of her throat. She heard Bish snickering at the odd display before her, finding great amusement in it.

"Mmm…not tight enough, luv. Good try though. Come on, I'll show you 'ow t' get it done properly." He paused for a moment and looked to Bish. "You wan' t' get some done in yers, too, dearie?"

Bish raised a brow, and momentarily forget out her fretful position in the heat and frazzled her up hair. "Does it LOOK like it needs work done in it? Seriously, things already nest in my hair; I don't need to encourage it by making my hair all nasty and dreadlocked. Thanks, but no thanks." She grunted. "Loopy, can I borrow a hair tie? I need to bind this evil frizz."

Jack shrugged at Bish's answer as Lupin extracted one of many hair ties that she had on her wrist and handed a thick on to Bish, who took it with relish and began to tame back her hair, wincing as her fingers combed through gnats and snarls. Bish watched her friend follow Jack into his cabin with a grin on her face. She couldn't really help it; it was funny how Jack had fiddled with Lupin's braid and the wolf could only stand there blinking and stare into space, looking about two steps away from blushing like there was no tomorrow.

She wriggled uncomfortably once they were gone. "It's hot…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Hold on, darlin', I know it's 'ere somewhere…"

Lupin held her beads in her hands, rolling them around in the palms with her fingertips, gingerly curled around the small objects as she watched Jack flit about his cabin, taking more unsteady steps then sober ones as he did so. She stared about, noting the different pieces and oddities that were now lining the walls and desks in the cabin. She had noticed bits and pieces when she came to give Jack his meals, but didn't look around enough to take it all in at once.

If this was what an antique store looked like, then Lupin definitely was in one…only she couldn't really buy the stuff in here; items most likely pinched off of and stolen from merchants, sailors and possibly other pirates. It definitely didn't look anything like Barbossa's cabin any longer and she vaguely remembered what had littered the place from the first movie.

…

She mentally kicked herself for thinking like that. _It's not a movie anymore; it's history now! True blue history…and I'm living it. I bet any other girl would pay to be in my shoes…boots. _

"Aha! Now, where the devil is that other one…"

Lupin almost would have jumped at the exclamation but stilled herself and once again pulled her head out of the clouds and looked around the room. Her eye caught something flashy and golden and Lupin double-checked on Jack before slowly pacing herself towards the item, mindful of the dull creaking underneath her. She almost felt her heart stop when she saw the object up close.

"How did he…? Holy shit…" She breathed, eyes widened in surprise. Reluctantly, her hands faltered at her sides before she reached up towards what she knew to be the real deal, Aztec medallion from the cursed chest on Isla de Muerta. _How did he get it from the monkey? Did the monkey even have the item? Oh, holy shit, this beauty beats my replica one a thousand fold…_

But, before her fingertips could even stroke the golden coin, a hand swooped down and snatched it up. Lupin bristled in surprise and backed away quickly, hands twitching out of habit. Jack stared down at her, twiddling the coin thoughtfully between his fingers.

"Not something ye'd want t' mess with, darlin'. S' not meant fer most mere mortal hands." He murmured quietly. Lupin shivered at the dark veil over his eyes. "Leave it be, luv." He pocketed the heavy coin and cleared his throat. It was then Lupin noticed that in his other hand he had a worn, but not-so-faded sash of a moderate blue—more of a faded blue-gray coloring—and had neat little stenciled designs here and there.

"Not much of anything, I'm 'fraid. But, if yer lookin' t' keeping up beads in yer hair like I saw you attempting earlier, ye'll need somethin' to 'old it all up. Better'n nothing, I s'pect."

Lupin blinked at him, narrowing her eyes a little. "Why're you doing this, if you don't mind my asking?"

He sighed and it sounded a step away from impatient. "S' not every day I give away some o' my secrets when it comes to me hair, luv. Do you want to learn or not?"

She could have snorted. Seriously. _Riiiigght, secrets…considering that in my time your hair is really a wig held together by fake fibers and maybe some wires…_

He motioned to the chair behind his desk where all his charts and maps were sprawled around the large, decorative furniture. "Well?" He raised a brow and his dark eyes gleamed a little behind the kohl rimming and Lupin finally shrugged, giving in. This had to be one of those 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunities and she obviously wasn't going to miss out on it. The wolf finally broke out grinning and held out her hand as an overdramatic add-in.

"Fix me up good, Cap'n."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Again, I'm blackmailing y'all into reviewing. I'm also bribing you with (cyber) cookies and brownies. You review, and you get some. So, yeah, review please. I'm being a hard-ass bitch right now, I know. But you'll love me again when I post the next chapter. (Smirks)**


	19. Birth Control Patches, Anyone?

**Chapter Eighteen:  
Birth Control Patches, Anyone? **

**Reviewers: **

**Silentmoondemon**

**Darkness-Chill**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Mae**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Tiggeranddash**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Wow, Jesus Christ. Uh…**

…

**I mean, damn. I got home from school a day after the last update and my inbox was filled with quite a few reviews. O.o You guys like this odd crossover a lot, don't ya? Heh, thanks for all the support. I really appreciate it. I know I may seem unreasonable for the whole "review or no new updates" because, face it, I'm past the thirty chapter marker right now (progressing through at least a fourth of the story's finish, I'm going to estimate) and I can wait all I like and merrily continue writing and leave y'all in suspense… **

**But it's also not **_**quite**_** as fun. Plus, I love hearing what you like about the chapter. It's interesting to hear the different opinions; I love variety. :3 Anyway, thanks for the support, and please continue reviewing! I don't want to be a bitch, but I can and will if I have to step up to the plate. ;) **

**Also…yes…I had to put in the Richard reference. **_**Everybody**_** loves Richard. Or everyone must die at his hands. (Snerks)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in people, than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.  
_**- Dale Carnegie **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

There weren't as many beads as Lupin had hoped for, but it was better than nothing. Jack had discarded most of the wooden ones she had, had chosen a few, then strung up a few extra things he had lying around. "Most of its junk, jus' pilin' up anyways, dearie. Nothin' too monetary to worry about, except it might help if you need bargainin' chips to work with."

"Have you ever done that before?"

He had shrugged at her, although she couldn't exactly see it. She winced as he pulled at her hair once more, but it lessened as he deftly strung in a red stone with crackly spider-web specks of black littering it, encased in a golden-looking cover. She suspected it was either painted gold or it was something else; either way, she wouldn't believe Jack would let go of something like that. In fact, it was still surprising to her that he was doing this for her.

"Once. Jus' t' get some food. Starvin', I was, if I had t' let go of one me strands o' beads. S' like cutting off one o' me limbs, eh? Something like what that elder Elric lad did… Did he ever tell you how he lost his limbs an' got stuck with those metal 'uns? Very curious thing indeed; work of an artist, and much more advanced than anything I've ever seen before…" Lupin didn't know if she wanted to believe his former explanations or to be appalled at his latter inquiries. She knew the answer to his question, of course, but that didn't mean she could let him know. It would somehow circulate through the crew and then back to Ed. He'd be furious if he found out anything… More than furious and she had almost shuddered at that thought. If there was one thing she actually learned to fear about Edward Elric, it was his infamous temper…

So, she shook her head before allowing the silence to drag on any further, worried that Jack would have been suspicious if she hadn't answered. "No…he wouldn't tell me, and I won't go behind his back to ask his brother either. I don't…I don't want to lose his trust." She had finally answered. She had been surprised how hushed her voice had grown on the subject.

Jack had been silent for a while, and then he finally said, "It's a shame, really."

"What is?"

"That all you want is a little bit o' trust from the lad…an' all he does is push everyone away 'cept his brother; s' like he don't trust anyone but the other boy. Pity, really, seeing as you had saved his life an' yer friend saved his brother's. Least he could do is lend out some form of faith to you an' Miss Ana." He had replied to her. Lupin grew quiet once again. Jack seemed to notice the uncomfortable air and had finally changed the subject, much to the wolf's relief.

Now, she was out of the cabin, donning the faded sash Jack had found and a few beads hanging from her right temple, each unique in their own way. She tapped the ending bead—a small glass one that was bright blue, almost like turquoise, with black spots—and grinned like a child. "I could get used to this…"

"Dude!" Turning her head to the only one who would ever use that slang term with her on this ship, Lupin blinked curiously to find none other than Bishquet standing there, gaping. "What did you do to your hair?"

"I told you, I was getting grooming lessons from a pirate. Isn't it neat, look, he put in all the beads and did the braids too!" Lupin bubbled, lowering her head to show off the pirate's workmanship and Lupin definitely had to give Jack his well-deserved credit. The man had nimble fingers, however often he fooled many into thinking otherwise.

"Holy…HE did all that? I thought he was just giving you tips! And where'd you get the bandanna?"

"It's a sash and he had it lying around, and its sanitary to wear, don't worry, I checked the thing before I let him put it on me. It didn't have anything on it." Lupin said.

Bish just stared and stepped forward, kneeling on the staircase that led to the quarterdeck where Mr. Cotton was manning the helm with his parrot. The Hispanic woman tilted Lupin's head and poked at the braid experimentally, and looked at the beads. "He gave you these?"

"Well, not all…some of them are mine, see? The dark brown wooden ones?"

"Yeah, I see…" Bish clucked her tongue. She sighed and Lupin lifted her head, grin still in place.

"Do you like it? I won't get dreadlocks, I know I won't look good with them, I promise."

Bish inhaled slowly. "Well…I guess, it's pretty cool looking…but you're gonna have a hell of a time sleeping with all that crap in your hair. Does Jack sleep with all his beads and shit in?"

Lupin shrugged and moved to the side to let LeJon pass up to the quarterdeck. "I have no clue, I don't know his sleeping habits. I don't spy on him."

"So you say…" Bish sighed. The wolf rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. It's almost five, I gotta go start dinner."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Tying the bulk of her hair back in a low ponytail beneath the sash, Lupin was almost finished with dinner when she heard a greeting turn into a surprised hiss behind her.

"What in the… What did you do? Your hair… You've got…braids and beads in it now!"

She turned to face the elder Elric brother staring at her, eyes roving over the beads and the braids Jack had niftily done up in her hair. "Isn't it cool, though? Jack did it. He's got surprisingly agile fingers for a drunken man." Her grin returned and Ed blinked once, twice.

"Yeah…sure, neat. But…why did you let him put all that stuff in your hair?"

"Because…I let him. Duh. Plus, I was trying to do it earlier and he told me I was doing it wrong, so he showed me how to do it right." Lupin answered slowly. Ed stared at the single strand of beads hanging off from the right side of Lupin's face and reached over to touch it, but then withdrew his hand quickly, as if realizing what he had been doing. Lupin rolled her eyes.

"You can touch, you dork, I'm not gonna bite… At least, not right now, I'm making food." She flashed a smile at him, chuckling.

"You sure?" He asked, once again reverting to that blinking stage, somewhat nervous at her statement. _Since when do I dumbfound Ed? Could be the beads working their magic…_

"If I wasn't so sure, I would have kicked you out of the kitchen a long time ago, believe me. Go ahead, Bish already examined my head, maybe you should too." The last bit had come out as a joke and she was relieved to see that he had finally smiled. "See? Smile! It's a joke, laugh for Christ's sakes! Go ahead, examine, touch, and feel, I don't care!"

He chuckled and finally, if not hesitantly, reached up to observe the beads. "How do you do you that?"

"Do what?" She asked, leaning back just slightly, hand resting on the small, low-rising table.

"Make people laugh and smile."

For a moment, she was caught off guard at the comment and tilted her head, staring curiously at Ed. His gaze flickered to her once before he returned to staring at the beads. She sighed. "I guess it's a gift. I always make my friends laugh, so…I dunno. I just always do." She finally answered truthfully.

Ed's hand dropped and he nodded. "You miss them, huh?"

"No, I decided to flee the country to the exotic Caribbean JUST to get away from them." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I miss them. Bish misses her friends too. Do you have any friends you miss?"

He nodded again. "I guess…but…"

"_But_…?" Lupin prodded, suddenly interested as she turned to continue dinner. If she weren't careful, she'd destroy it beyond being edible. Ed sighed and leaned against a beam.

"But…most of them are in Amestris. And we left some of them…in Germany, in our time."

"Tell me about this place. Amestris."

He shook his head, but stopped himself, realizing that Lupin's back was to him and she couldn't see. "You wouldn't believe half of the stuff I'd tell you, even if I did want to tell you."

The wolf sighed again, impatient. She turned and faced him, an irritated look on her face. "There you go again, thinking I'm going to disbelieve and discredit everything you have to say. Just to let you know, I'm a lot more open than you think, so give me a try. You, of all people, should know this by now. Don't assume I'll just…not believe you, right off the bat. I'm a lot more open then you give me credit for."

Ed stared at her, clearly surprised but before he could get a word in, Lupin spoke again.

"So…come on, give it a shot. Live a little, be daring…unless you don't think you can handle my sense of humor." Her eyes sparkled a little in the candlelight and Edward rolled his eyes. "Seriously though…I'll listen to what you have to say, but I won't criticize, whatever it is you've got locked away in that head of yours. I might actually believe you, but you don't know…unless you try."

After a few moments of silence after what Lupin said, he finally smiled. "Okay…fine… I'll tell you, but only a little bit. Just to give you a taste of what you're asking for."

She smiled. "That's all I ask. Keep me company until dinner's ready. Start at the beginning."

"All right…" He nodded. "I was born in a place called Resembool…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was around eight o'clock at night, maybe a little past. Bish forgot how many tolls the bell went off with not too long ago. She grumbled to herself, cursing as she fumbled for the flint and whined longingly for a regular lighter…and maybe a cigarette. But, knowing Lupin, who was strictly against smoking, would probably berate her about the hazards of smoking and what it could give her. _It's not like I'm inhaling a carton at once. Sheesh._

She stubbed a finger on her left hand against something and withdrew her hand with a jerk, sucking on the offended appendage, her finger throbbing dully for a few moments, squinting in the dark. "What in name of fuck?"

Bish growled. Lupin left one of her mechanical pencils out. Damn wolf. She loved Lupin, no doubt, but her art fetish was getting to her. She remembered how excited her friend sounded when she called a few weeks back about how she had been accepted to an art institute situated in San Francisco—and the wolf rarely called; she mostly texted or talked on IM. And the whole "art school in San Fran" thing had been a shocker; for years, Lupin had been the most active on paleontology… Maybe the art was only for a few years to build up on before transferring to an actual college that revolved around Lupin's beloved science?

And being here, with no modern…anything except what she and Lupin could extract from the _Black Jack_ annoyed her. Her phone…all her custom ring tones, everything…just gone. Except for her computer, her iPod and a few books of hers Lupin had rescued from the brackish waters. Bish was glad that Lupin had bought an extra waterproof jacket for her laptop…if she had lost that damned thing, she would have officially gone nuts. All her work, whether it was homework or her stories, would have been vanquished…even if most of it sat in backup files in her email and in Lupin's. She had to admit that wolf could be rather thoughtful at times.

But, to go weeks without anything that was electronic…hell no. She would not survive without her precious band _Muse_, her writings, anything.

She grunted and began to search for the flint again and when she found it, she cursed lowly under her breath, and lit the lantern. She swept the newly lit light over the cubby and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose with an impatient notion as she sat the lantern back on its hook and began to fumble in her bag that Lupin had helped her extract from the _Black Jack_. Lupin had claimed one corner, and Bishquet the other.

Although, most stuff was in the niche Ed used to sleep in, mostly for the sake of saving sleeping room. She swore it was like one of those Japanese households where the bed was in the closet and the kitchen behind a sliding wall; it was insane. Except, this place didn't have paper rice sliding doors and neat ornaments with kanji written all over them. It was a groaning, creaking, smelly old ship that should have stayed a metal barge with wooden planks built over it for the goddamned amusement of tourists walking through Disneyland, dammit!

Again, she found herself grumbling as she finally found what she need and sighed in relief. The large bag she found was pulled into the light and she grinned triumphantly. Birth control patches; they worked wonders and worked for a long while, too. Better than most pills, she had to admit. And there was enough for perhaps…about two years, maybe less or so, but it wasn't like she'd need all of them for herself. She'd also have to consider Lupin.

…Speaking of Lupin…where was she?

Bish scurried around and put the bag under her shirt, careful to hide it from unwanted, prying eyes. She didn't really need to do a full-out search, she remembered that Lupin had been topside before Bish went below decks.

And she doubted the wolf would go straight to workout without changing first or grabbing her iPod, she had to swing by the cubby for those items. Huffing, she did indeed find Lupin topside, chatting with some of the better company among the pirates. She signaled to the wolf and she saw her friend raise a brow at her before excusing herself from the conversation and coming to Bish's side. Looking around, Bish took Lupin aside and away from earshot of anyone.

"What's up, hun?" Lupin asked, inquisitive.

"Dude, you haven't had your period yet, have you?" It was an outright, blunt question that put the wolf off for a moment before she shook her head.

"No…but I did have cramps earlier…" She answered earnestly.

"Shit, that means it'll be here today or tomorrow. Preferably, we should hold it off as long as possible. And I have the solution." Bish replied with a grin as she pulled out the bag, holding it in front of the wolf. Lupin stared at it.

"What are those and will they get me high?" She asked in a monotone voice. The Hispanic woman rolled her eyes.

"No, they won't get you high, but they'll prevent you from getting your period. These are some of the best ones you can get; birth control patches. They stop you from having your period. You don't want to walk around a ship with no thrift store for another three hundred years, bleeding in your pants, do you?"

The wolf continued to stare at the bottle before she took it and began to roll in her hand, squinting in the dark to view the labeling. "Birth control patches? You're not serious, are you?"

"Dead serious, hun. We don't have pads or tampons, so we're to use patches that stop our menstrual times of the month. I dunno about you, but I don't want to be visited by Aunt Flo for as long as I can while I'm here. I've got about…a year and a half, perhaps two years worth in total. Sound fun?"

Lupin frowned, and looked at the bag skeptically, poking at the square little pieces.

"They're waterproof and you don't have to worry about the whole "booze with pills" scenario."

"Well…I guess. I don't fancy a meeting with Aunt Flo, either. How many times do we have to put it on?" She muttered. Bish sighed and explained what she read on the package in which the patches had come in. Lupin still held a slightly incredulous look on her face, indecisive.

"Do you or do you not want to bleed."

The wolf squirmed uncomfortably. "I don't like cramps…"

"They take that away if you take the patch, hun." Bish responded, now looking at the bottle herself.

"Mmm…I guess. Do I take it now, or…?"

"I would suggest now, because if you wake up in the middle of the night with bloodied up pants, don't come crying to me. I'm not going to pity you, but I might just laugh."

She made a face at Bish's directness, but merely sighed afterward and made a motion for the bottle. "How many?"

The dark-haired young woman unscrewed the lid and pulled out a pill, placing it in the palm of her friend's hand. "Just one, for now." Lupin nodded.

"Okay, then. Gimme. Oh, by the way, Jack the Monkey is heading your way. Close the lid so you don't spill our drugs around." Lupin cackled at her friend's twitchy reaction as she snatched the baggy away from the wolf and sealed it shut and stalked away, looking over her shoulder to see the monkey sitting on the railing in it's decaying, cursed glory.

The eyeballs in the sockets looked to her and it made a screeching sound, all teeth bared in the faint moonlight. She shivered. "Fucking monkey…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin slapped the patch onto the instructed area on her body, as Bish had told her to do so. She never really did like taking medicine, even if it was to help her or get her better or whatever. She didn't fancy taking this form of medicine at all, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about bleeding in her pants now. She was lucky she had survived this long without the cramps a-coming.

Sighing, she rolled her shoulders before scooping a little more food into her bowl, feeling hunger claw at her again, even though dinner was about two hours ago. It was still good, so she began to eat, nibbling on the meat for longer than necessary as she slurped up the broth and made her way top deck, feeling the faint spell of nausea drift over her in the pit of her stomach. Occasionally, and very rarely, did she actually feel seasick. Groaning despondently, she found a place to settle and sit to listen to everyone recall a story or two, or watch someone play cards. What surprised her was when she saw Al and Ed pitted against one another in a card game with LeJon, Li, Gibbs, Carson—an English sailor turned pirate as soon as he joined Jack's crew in Tortuga a few months back—and Marty. Bish was sitting beside Alphonse, looking over his shoulder at his cards, but she said nothing as she skimmed the faces of the others. While Lupin had gone to get something to eat and to put on the patch, Bish had gone to go put away the baggy. She obviously got up here before the wolf.

Al had a blank face as he stared down at his cards, not saying anything to Bish as she peeked over his shoulder numerous times. Edward had his cocked to the side, looking at his own with bright eyes, and she saw his shoulder shake as a faint trace of a smirk lined his lips: cocky, confident and every bit of the teenage Edward Elric in his older demeanor as Lupin stared. She almost wanted to smile herself at that but stopped when he caught her eye and she shrugged before coming around to sit next to him, looking at his cards.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye but said nothing as he once again returned to the card game. "Which one?" She asked curiously. She knew there were plenty of card games, but she didn't know which they were playing. She never learned anything other than bullshit, go fish, and uno, along with the assorted _Pokémon_ and _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ card game as well. Bullshit was one of her most favored games for obvious reasons.

"Which one, what, exactly?" He muttered, only paying a sliver of his attention to her.

"Game. Poker, go fish, bullshit, what?"

The odd list momentarily caught the elder Elric off guard but he shrugged it off easily enough; he's heard the name of the last one before and it wasn't much of a surprise Lupin wouldn't reserve herself from saying the curses as casually as "hello" or "good-bye".

"Poker. Hang on, lemme think a moment…" He muttered in reply, staring at his cards. Lupin didn't know much of poker, in all honesty, but considering he had the black clover four through eight, she assumed it was a pretty good hand. But, reminding herself, she didn't know poker very well, so she could be wrong. _I can't remember; is it a royal flush or just a flush thingy? I hate card games like this; too complicated…_

Lifting her gaze, she caught Bish's eye and the Hispanic woman shrugged and grinned at her. A few more minutes passed, eyes caught one another and in all seriousness, everyone kept their literal poker face on, not allowing any to realize what card they may or may not have and it finally came to the last portion of the game. Lupin just sat next to Ed, nibbling on her nails out of a habit that she's had since a child. Looking around, she glanced back down at Ed's hand. He hadn't changed much, except put down cards he drew and leaving his hand alone, all in all. Or whatever, she didn't know what he did.

She didn't pay much attention …go figure.

Finally, Ed broke out grinning as the others began to lay down their cards, begrudgingly with scowls on their faces. Besides Ed, Marty and Al were the only ones left. Ed's grin never wavered and that grin had a taint of a smirk on it. Lupin sighed. _Oh, dear…someone has an inflated ego. If he loses, someone's going to have to comfort his broken pride and I doubt it'll be Alphonse; he's probably the one with the winning hand._

Although she couldn't differentiate whether he had a good hand or not; Al had a good poker face in most situations…but she had to admit he could be an unfortunately terrible liar when he was nervous. But, seeing as he was keeping that straight face in place and not wavering an inch, Lupin figured he was in the game now. She also figured, however, that he did have a winning hand; it was a hunch, but a strong one at that. _At least Ed's not cheating… I hope…oh, thank God there's no alchemy here; he'd probably cheat and get the same hand as Al if his brother _did_ have a winning hand. That'd be really awkward in the end._

Marty finally laid down his hand. Ed made his move. _So impatient…_ Lupin thought, rolling her eyes when she saw the cards slap down on the crate. Al merely raised a brow as he studied the cards laid out on the crate and Bish smirked knowingly, Ed not noticing it as his grin broadened. "Straight flush."

Lupin looked at the odd assortment of items on the crate; some looking like they were junk, others of at least having some monetary value. She breathed in deeply as he started to reach for the items, but Al chuckled and Ed stopped, staring at his brother, apparently working out that Al had yet to show his own cards.

"Sorry, brother, but I've got a royal flush. That means I win." He said and then a smile graced his lips and Ed stared down at the cards Al laid out. Yep, even Lupin knew what a royal flush was and she knew Al would win. She sighed again as the eldest Elric collapsed back into his seat in disbelief, still staring at the cards as Bish burst out laughing.

"Omigod, he beat your ass so bad! You fell right into it! HA!"

_You're so mean, Bish, but what you say is so true…_ Lupin thought as she patted Ed on the shoulder gently. "Aw, cheer up, you lasted to the end." She said cheerfully, trying to bring him out of his rut. He merely glanced at her from the very corner of his eye on his right and then let it drop. She rolled her eyes in annoyance before she did what she usually did to someone when they refused to smile.

Getting down below his level, Lupin couldn't help but giggle at her own stupidity and Ed finally looked at her as she pursed her lips in a childish manner. "Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gills…you know what you do when life gets you down?"

"Oh, God…Loopy, don't, seriously. That's really…childish, come on. Don't do the Dory thing."

Lupin ignored her friend as Ed looked away. Al stared, curious and suddenly amused as Lupin broke out grinning as she started to sing. "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming; just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! What do we do, we swim, swim, swim…"

Bish shook her head, ringlets bouncing as she did so. "Dammit, Lupin…"

Ed had turned to stare at the wolf who was sitting at his feet like a child, singing in a bubbly, silly voice and grinning like an idiot in an the attempt to cheer him up. But he only stared. "You're not allowed to smile now. I forbid it." She finally said in all seriousness.

He blinked.

"She does this all the time, let's just go." Bish muttered to Al as Lupin preoccupied Edward.

"Seriously, Ed…no smiling or I'll hurt you. No smiling." She said, all the while, still smiling herself. She ignored the bemused stares she received from the other pirates, who were starting to gather the cards to put away. Ed's lips twitched and Lupin continued the childlike banter. "AH! I said no. _NO_."

"She always does this?" Al asked as Bish quietly pushed him away from the two. He could tell that if Lupin did keep this up, she would either succeed in getting Ed to smile OR, he'd get extremely annoyed and might say something hurtful to the girl. And he knew, Edward wasn't all that well when it came to talking to women. Bish nodded at his inquiry.

"Yes, yes, she does with me or her friends or whatever. It's her own specialized way of getting someone to smile. Come on, let's just go…it's embarrassing just to watch and she's supposed to be nineteen, not twelve…" Bish answered. Alphonse took one last look at his brother's face and was relieved to see a smile on Ed's face instead of a nasty scowl.

"HEY! I said no smiling!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Okay, so tell me again, why you gave that pill thingy?"

Bish rolled her eyes. "So you don't have your period and get cramps, I'm saving you from pain and misery. There isn't exactly a thrift store we can just stop at and I doubt Jack would have a package of tampons hidden in his hat."

Lupin stared at her friend and finally smiled. "Well, thank you for the drugs. They help. I no longer feel aggravated."

"They're not drugs, hun, they're hormones. Now you can go and molest Jack to your own content… Dude, that eyeliner is kinda sexy…"

The wolf stopped smiling and went back to staring, dumbfounded. She stumbled over her own words for a few moments before she could finally find the right way to say what she wanted to say. "He's twice my age! He's twice YOUR age! And you're supposed to have the hots for Will…aren't you?"

Bishquet once again rolled her eyes heavenward. "Ew. No. He's a horrible pirate, it's not even funny and from what I hear, a eunuch. Besides, everyone knows that older men have more experience…like Hugh Laurie… They're like that thing with the wine; now go bang a pirate and be happy."

The Hispanic woman's friend blinked rapidly, but didn't stop staring at her. "I, unlike the women Jack fancies, am not a whore. I don't get paid for sex and I don't want to stoop down to that level, either." She defended slowly. Bish sat up for a moment and blew out the lantern with a hard puff and set it away from her. Taking off her glasses off, she couldn't see anything as she lay down, but she could tell that Lupin hadn't laid down yet.

"Well, if you don't want to take the pills anymore, that's fine with me. I'll just grind them up and sprinkle the dust into your drinks or food so that I don't have to deal with an overly hormonal teenager. I don't want to get pregnant or have cramps, and I doubt Jack will be able to handle little mini-Bishquets and mini-Jacks running around everywhere."

"Oh, my God…mini Bishquets…I'd be an aunt and so YOUNG…" Lupin groaned. Bish sighed.

"Yes, exactly. Go bang a pirate and be happy. You know you want to…"

"Uh-huh, and you want to bang an elf. Bite me."

"Thanks, I don't swing that way. Night."

"Whore." Lupin finally said after a few seconds of silence.

"Thank you, and your point?"

"…I didn't really have one, except for the 'bite me' comment."

"S'what I thought, bitch. Now go to sleep before I hurt you."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Also, to those who love to Role-Play: **

**Arktos and I have a community on LiveJournal that's set up for a multi-fandom RP. For anyone who hasn't role-played before, but is interested in something new for the summer, I'd suggest coming over to our RP. It's gonna be pretty damned fun, BUT, we do need more role-players for it before it can take off. (AKA: Please do come and check it out)**

**The community is basically, as the title suggests, a multi-fandom role-play community; you can be Goku of **_**Dragonball Z**_** and have Roy of **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_** talk to one another. Well, kind of like that; it's not **_**quite**_** as simple. If anyone's interested, here is the link and if you're further interested in it, fill out the application and either Arktos or I will view it over and we'll go from there. :3**

**(As well all know the drill: copy, paste and squish in the link to get rid of the spaces)**

_**http : / community. livejournal. com/infabula /profile**_

**So, pick and choose your favorites from your different fandoms, see who's taken in the reserved/taken section of the profile and go with it! :3 But, be warned; I've already claimed Edward as mine. Heh. How **_**original**_**, right? **


	20. Bonds Between Two

**Chapter Nineteen:  
Bonds Between Two**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Darkness-Chill**

**Mae**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Tiggeranddash**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Come on, people, keep the reviews coming, I know you can. :D **

**Also... **

**WHOO-HOO! Twentieth chapter! **

**CELEBRATE. I COMMAND IT. xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.  
__Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.  
__Just walk beside me, and be my friend.  
_**- Albert Camus**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Water, water, everywhere but not a drink to drop."

…

Bish looked at Lupin and stared for a moment, unsure of what she just heard. "Wait…did you just…what'd you say, 'drink to drop'?" Lupin seemed to have realized what she had just said because she burst out laughing.

"I can't speak today! HA! Drink to drop, drink to drop!"

Ed and Al exchanged looks with one another and Ed snickered audibly while Al hid a smile. Lupin poked Bish in the side and leaned her head on her friend's shoulder, sighing. "Yeah, my tongue is being very stupid today."

"What'd you mean, today? Don't you mean all the time?" Bish countered with another laugh. Lupin rolled her eyes and inhaled the briny air once more and began to fiddle with some of the beads hanging off of her right temple, poking the wooden ones, and then the ones Jack had strung up.

"Do you think we'll ever get to wherever we're going, Loopy? I mean, that crazy man over there who walks and talks like he's drunk all the time won't tell us shit." Bish finally sighed. Lupin immediately shrugged in response. She glanced around the deck, boredly, and spotted Jack, viewing over the bowsprit—or she assumed that was the direction he was peering over—with his scope.

"Dunno. We're not exactly…his crew, but he's making us work for our keep. I can understand that much."

"Yeah, but we're doing the work, so we should be kept in the loop, too. This is total bullshit."

"But…you don't really do anything. You say you want to be a doctor, but there's not much for you to do…" Ed answered carefully, noting the dangerous glint in Bish's eyes when he finished. She rolled her eyes.

"When someone is going to lose a limb, call me. I'll saw the rest of the fucker off. I'll be like House and be all sarcastic and dry-witted and shit. It'll be awesome."

"What…or who, exactly is House?" Alphonse asked, sincerely curious. Lupin and Bish exchanged looks. Then, turning their gleeful little eyes towards the two brothers, Bish cleared her throat.

"It's a television show in our time. House is a doctor, played by the ever-sexy Hugh Laurie, and he is a medical _genius_. Seriously. He figures out all these seemingly impossible cases. On the side, there's some personal drama between him, his boss Cuddy, his friend Wilson, his team Chase, Cameron and Foreman and the patients that come in. It's a really dramatic show at some points. That's why I wanted to take the doctor position. But in the fourth season, he gets a new team: Taub, Kutner and Thirteen." She answered proudly. Lupin snickered when her friend shivered. "I'd SO tap his sarcastic ass…I'd so do it."

"Hugh Laurie's twice your age your age, hun…" She said, picking up a bottle filled with what Bish suspected to be watered down rum.

"Yeah, and so is Jack, but I'll bet you'd do him in a heartbeat." She answered dryly just as Lupin was taking a drink. Bish smiled evilly as the wolf spluttered and choked on the sip she had been gulping down, coughing and pounding a fist against her chest.

"Bish!" She cried hoarsely. "Not in front of THEM, Goddammit! And someone might hear you!" Her eyes darted inconspicuously towards the Elric brothers, who both stared at Bish's shameless comment bug-eyed.

"So? Not like I care. It's your problem, not mine. Do you think that charger thingy your stepdad got you would work out here? I wanna go watch _House_ now and my computer's gonna die if it doesn't get some recharged juice."

"Uh, yeah, I think it's in the big pocket of my bag, hun. Just put it back when you're done." She grumbled with the roll of her eyes. The Hispanic woman stood and stretched her back and rolled her shoulders around, letting out a loud sigh.

"If anyone wants to come with me, now's the time because my love calls from my computer."

Lupin looked to Bish for a moment, grunted and finally stood. "I'll fish the charger out. You get the show ready. You guys wanna come see some really cool medical stuff? I'm sure you'd appreciate the science behind it." She winked mischievously and chuckled. It was Bish's turn to roll her eyes, but in the end she glanced at Edward and Alphonse expectantly, almost pleadingly as if to say, _"Oh, come on, please? You'll like it!"_

The brothers exchanged looks before turning back to the girls. Al smiled with tinge of optimism lining it and Edward merely shrugged, as if not very interested, but Lupin noticed the glow in his eyes. _YOU just want to see the science behind it, you greedy little scientist, you. Meh, I guess I get greedy too, so who am I to judge?_

"Come on, you know you're interested. Plus, our shows are in COLOR. With sound." Bish pressed, feigning innocence, but she knew, just like the wolf, that in the early nineteen hundreds, color and sound were a far-off dream for movies. Lupin chuckled as finally they both nodded, hiding their interest, but she saw it was done poorly.

"Sure, why not? Sounds interesting…" Ed mumbled and Lupin could have sworn, at the moment, she would have burst out laughing if she did not have the proper control over her reactions and her emotions.

"Well, then hurry up. Come, _House_ awaits!" The wolf's friend declared dramatically, pointing in a random direction. Lupin rolled her eyes.

"Bish, the forecastle is THAT way…" She said. Bish glanced back at the wolf.

"…I knew that."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Thankfully, Lupin's adapter worked. Although, she insistently complained that it was a piece-of-crap prototype test model, Bish didn't give two shits, as long as it WORKED. But, who was she to talk, she loved her computer to pieces, much more than the damned shitty one she had about two years prior. At least she could write, listen to her music and watch the shows she had saved on the computer; something she had discovered very intriguing one day and showed Lupin how to do on her own laptop.

And of course, her grin did not falter at all when she noticed the widened eyes of the Elric brothers at the smooth filming, the pure colors, the clear audio and the computer graphics that played a useful role in the television drama, _House_. Questions poured from their mouths, in whispers, yes, but it was still annoying.

"How do they get the audio to work? How'd they show a picture of a human's insides like that? How is it that they can capture color in the film? When did they get color to finally be put into films?"

However, Lupin played good interference and shut them up quickly enough, saying she didn't really didn't want to explain at the moment and Bish just didn't want to answer them. Finally, when it came to her breaking point, she finally had to pause the show, whirled around on all three of them and threatened them that if they didn't shut the fuck up, she'd take a knife and would gut them all from the inside out and hang their skins out to dry to wear as a fashionable hat later.

After that, all questions were set aside until AFTER the episode was finished.

"Jeez, you two ask a lot of questions." Bish grumbled after the petty task of answering what questions she could and then left the rest to Lupin. She received an adorably sheepish grin from Alphonse and Edward merely rolled his eyes in an unattractive manner.

"Well, how do you expect the progress of science if we didn't ask questions? We'd still be trying to figure out how to make the wheel if humans didn't ask questions!" He proclaimed and Lupin snorted derisively.

"Okay, enough, no more! I need to go make dinner, I think I heard the bell tolling."

"You make it sound like a funeral…" Ed mumbled.

"I'll make a funeral happen sooner if you don't shut yer yap, dude. I'm serious, I'm a tiny thing with pent-up rage and I know how to use it!" Lupin balled up her fist and shook it in Ed's general direction mockingly, playfully. "Fear the short people! Fear!"

Bish patted the wolf on the head consolingly while Ed merely stared, incredulous. Al couldn't help but finally smile at the reaction the wolf had just displayed; something he knew his volatile brother would never have done, ever. "There, there. No more sugar for you. Go get drunk instead while I snort up the rest of whatever you've been sniffing for the past few weeks."

Lupin complained with a throaty whine but merely tossed away Bish's hand, spun around on her seat and stood up, pushing back the curtain to the cubby. "No touchy my stash, man. I like my crack." She joked. Bish threw something at Lupin and it took her a moment to realize it was one of her mechanical pencils. Picking it up, she stuck her tongue out at the Hispanic woman and shoved the object into the base of her ponytail, walking off to the galley.

"She's insane and I kind of wished she got into CSUN… I can't believe they rejected her, though; she had the most bitchin' grades I've seen all year long for her senior year…" She sighed thoughtfully, momentarily forgetting that she had others present to her out-loud musings.

"CSUN?"

She blinked and then realized that Ed and Al were still there. Turning off the DVD player and her computer, she unplugged the adapter as she answered the one-worded question.

"It's a college. Literally, it used to be right down the street from my house...well, until I moved that is. I was kind of surprised she decided not to go to Moorpark; it's only like, ten minutes away from her house. But I wasn't shocked to hear that an art college accepted her. She's one of the best artists I've ever seen, but still…she puts herself down a lot. It makes me mad. I hurt her if she says anything in my presence, because I am the Bishquet and my word is law." Bish nodded confidently as she stored her laptop back in the waterproof bag. Closing it shut, she frowned again.

"But, she has to go to San Francisco to go to the college. WHY she'd want to move halfway up the state is beyond me. I think it has something to do with being close to the ocean, I guess. She's always liked it. Not that I don't, I just don't like going to the beach and having sand rammed into every orifice. It sucks balls. Seriously. I'll go every once in a while, but, yeah, I don't like salt water, either. Or seaweed. It's just gross." She stuck her tongue out in distaste and shivered. "Ew."

Finally, she decided it was enough answering unasked questions or explaining things that the wolf could do on her own time. She shooed the boys away and somewhat tidied everything up to the point of it being bearable and even mussed around on Lupin's cot, folding up the disheveled trench coat her friend used as a pillow. _Seriously, Lupin, how can you wear this thing when it's, like, nine hundred and something degrees out? I MELT and you…you don't. Freak. _

After she felt that she had muddled around enough, Bish yawned and stretched before leaving the cubby be. Surprisingly, she was at ease leaving her stuff where it was, even if she was sailing with pirates. If ANYTHING was taken, she could just beat the living shit out all the crew until they finally coughed up the stolen items. It's not like they can hide for forever, or run away with it. They were on a goddamned SHIP. Not much to run away on.

Yawning again, she decided to go and find Alphonse and drag him back somewhere for more Spanish lessons later that night after dinner. Hey, he asked, he's going to get.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Hey."

Lupin didn't look over her shoulder, but merely flashed the peace sign at him. "Yo. What up?"

Ed didn't comment on the strange greeting; he was used to the multitude that Lupin and Bishquet both brought forth whenever they acknowledged someone. Often times he saw some of the pirates thrown off guard and it made him grin stupidly at how befuddling either one of them made the men. They were not only wary of the two, but also fascinated in an odd way. He was too, he had to admit.

"Well, I thought you'd like to know, I actually weaseled some information out of Jack."

Ah, that brought out her attention. She momentarily stopped chopping up whatever poor vegetable she chose for the night's entrée and actually turned to meet his gaze, eyes flashing curiously in the golden dim of the candle's flame. "Oh?"

He nodded and smirked a little. Ed couldn't really help it; he felt successful.

"Yeah. I found out our next destination."

There was a pause. An overly long pause later and Lupin raised a brow. "And?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. I don't know much yet, but what I do know is that it's an island that belongs to Italy. I think the town is called…uh, hang on a second… Ah, Cagliari. I didn't get much background information, but it is part of Italy and that's our next destination. Just for a few days and then we're gone."

"And then Tripoli…" Lupin murmured, more to herself than to Edward. He frowned at the sound of far off anxiety in her voice and his brow creased with concern.

"Tripoli?" He paused. "Where's that? And how can you be so sure we're going to wherever that is?"

Lupin would have stiffened and immediately changed the subject, but the sudden squeal from her friend literally saved her ass. Ed had stepped aside just in time for Bish to dash on by to tackle her friend with a rib-crushing hug.

"Eeeeeee! LAND! Land soon! Very, very soon! Jack just told me! Omigod, we can get another _bath_!" Bish continued to babble on about things she so dearly wanted and missed from hers and Lupin's time and the wolf wholeheartedly listened, agreeing tenfold. But, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ed pause, half in the shadows and the other half lit by the candle. The flickering flame contrasted sharply against his hair and eyes, making them glitter in the dim lighting before he sighed, and stepped away, shaking his head. Lupin almost wanted to excuse herself and go after him to apologize, but apologize for what?

She tuned herself back into Bish's rants and turned back to dinner, doubling up on her efforts to get it done and almost sliced her finger open twice while doing so. Bish finally calmed down and noticed her friend's dilemma with a grimace.

"Ouch, yikes. Be careful with that thing. It looks ready to fall apart." She murmured quietly to her. Lupin only nodded mutely.

"I know…I think I might buy a new one…if Jack pays us, that is. I dunno, maybe I'll just go and beg him or something if he doesn't pay us. 'It's for the galley!' Heh. He'd probably go for it, but who knows, right?" She answered. Bish sighed.

"Yeah, or you could go and give him some sugar instead of just a sob story…you know you want to…" The Hispanic woman waggled her arched brows suggestively, her eyes bright and fiery. Lupin snorted.

"Uh-huh, _riiiigght_. Why don't you do it, if you're so damned keen to force _me_?"

She shrugged. "Because, you'd probably try to hurt me if I tried; he's your claim, after all. And then I'd have to kill you for trying to hurt me." She answered at ease. Lupin paused before replying to that.

"You're so cruel, you know that?"

"All that and much more." Bish winked. She jumped down from the crate that she had been sitting on throughout the conversation and brushed off imaginary dust from her jeans. Bish pushed back her glasses with a whine.

"It's hot, even at night."

"Welcome to the Mediterranean, luv." Lupin chuckled, once again pulling the switcheroo on accents. Bish replied with a roll of the eyes and aggravated huff.

"Hurry up, you crazy person. I'm hungry and turning cannibal sounds appealing at the moment…" She said with all seriousness. Lupin made a soft squeak.

"Yes'm!" The wolf answered quickly, but the hidden chuckle did not escape the dark-haired young woman's notice.

"S'what I thought, whore."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Tripoli…it sounds familiar…" Ed frowned and again racked his brains but couldn't come up with anything. _Tripoli, Tripoli, Tripoli…where have I heard that before? It's not from the north; I know that…Is it somewhere in Africa, maybe? Dammit, where? _

Frustration and aggravation made him scowl. "What in the hell were you talking about, Lupin?" He couldn't remember. It made him crinkle his nose in dissatisfaction at not being able to remember. Finally, he merely slumped back against the railing, rubbing his temples. "I need a map…"

"Your epidermis is showing." A voice chuckled. Ed's eyes snapped open and he bolted upright, looking up to find Lupin crouching beside him, holding out his bowl to him. He blinked as she continued to snicker, although from the strain on her face, he could tell that she was holding in a lot more than she was letting out. Without thinking, he took the bowl from her and she slid her hands away and rested her arms on her thighs as she cocked her head to the side.

"You know, if you keep mumbling to yourself, people are going to start thinking you're possessed by the devil or an evil spirit or maybe you're just a crazy person."

He sneered at her but she continued to grin stupidly at him like a child who didn't understand the gesture. Lupin patted him on the head. "Aw, I love you too. Platonically speaking, that is."

Standing up, she brushed off her pants and he gaped at her. "_Excuse me?_"

Lupin glanced back at him. "I was joking, Ed." She rolled her eyes before adding, "You know, I've got my work cut out for me. I think I'll make it my life's mission to loosen you up. Or something like that. Be thankful it isn't Bish or she'd taint your mind far worse then I ever would allow. Although, I would worry for you brother…she's quite the manipulator of the mind." Lupin winked at him and grinned wickedly, flashing teeth at him as he continued to stare, skeptical at the wolf's blunt words. Her face finally fell.

"Again, I'm joking. Remember, I spout rubbish most of the time, so don't take everything I say seriously!" Crouching back down, she ruffled Ed's hair and he finally found the initial to bat her hand away, scowling at her. He honestly didn't like being played around with like that. Again, he had to remind himself that either of the girls had minds like steel traps and from his point of view, loved to twist words around and make them seem worse then they really were.

"Quit that, I'm not a kid!" He grumbled, although he almost winced at his tone; it sounded childish and was more whine then menace. She snickered and grinned widely again.

"Then act your age, Ed. You're two years older than me, and I should be the one acting like an immature kid!" Her laughter was a little more than it should have been, but from the sudden light in her eyes, Ed figured she definitely had a better sense of humor than him—which, he didn't doubt—or it was some sort of inside joke. He pulled a face at her and she flicked him upside the head.

"Don't start with me or I'll go 'super-bitch' on you. Eat your food." Finally, she stood back up, but this time stretched, arching her back and hiking up her shirt slightly to reveal a band of tan skin before she stopped and walked away and disappeared below decks. Just as she left, Alphonse took her place and spotting his brother, made way to Ed, smiling. Ed slumped back again and rubbed his temples gently with his free hand.

"This is going to be an even longer trip than I thought…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I think I want a pet…"

Bish blinked, staring. "What?"

"I want a pet…like, Cotton has his parrot…and that monkey is like, the unwanted pet that won't go away, but no one really has to take care of because it's undead?" Lupin offered vaguely. She stared off into the dark horizon, the water slightly choppy, but nothing more. The sweltering heat had died with the daytime hours, but the lingering aftereffects at night were just as brutal; at least it downed a couple of degrees.

"…You sicken me. You're thinking of getting some motherfucking _reptile_, aren't you?" Bish finally said, a look of incense on her face. Lupin knew, for a fact and without a doubt that her friend abhorred reptiles of any shape, size and length. It didn't matter if they looked 'adorable' as babies—or so Lupin says; she squeals at every single damned baby alligator or snake and it revolted Bishquet to no ends. The dark-haired Hispanic woman has always remained disgusted and appalled at the creatures. If they had scales, she'd be miles away from it before anyone could even say a word.

"No…I'd lose it on a ship, for one and for another thing, where would I get mice? They're snake food and if I got a lizard, that fucker would be gone before I even get it on the ship! No…something more like a dog or a bird…"

"I…refuse to let you get an animal. You wouldn't be able to keep it and even if you were, how would you clean up after it? You've seen Cotton or whatever his name is! His back is riddled with bird crap if he doesn't get it scrubbed off. Seriously, I refuse to let you sleep anywhere near me if you're riddled with animal shit."

Lupin sighed. "But…I need _something_! I need an animal companion! I'm deprived…" She whined. Bishquet didn't like the tone her friend had adopted and popped her hand upside the wolf's head. Lupin yelped and cringed away violently, holding her head.

"Oh, stop that, I didn't hit you that hard. And besides, I'm deprived of my _Cosmopolitan_ magazines, my makeup and most of all, my LIFE. Do NOT try and pull that card on me because I will throw it back at you a thousand fold and WIN the argument." She glared at Lupin, blazing brown eyes burrowing into the wolf's yielding blue-gray ones. Finally, Lupin dropped her gaze, nodding slowly, succumbing to her friend's words.

"Sorry…I just…miss my animals and they usually cheer me up. As much as I love Cotton's bird, I wish I had my own, you know…?" She replied quietly, shrugging listlessly. Bish sighed and unfolded her arms from across her chest; something she just realized she had done while staring down the wolf. It wasn't that she didn't understand; she didn't want to hear the whining and complaining. If Lupin started, then she would too and it'd probably never end. And in all honesty, she didn't want to make the trip so miserable for both her and Lupin, but for the crew and the Elric brothers as well. If that happened, who knows what might ensue? They could get kicked off of the _Pearl_ and forced to find their own way BACK to the Caribbean and then it would have probably been a task to try and find Tia Dalma on their own and honestly, she doubted Lupin knew exactly where the sea goddess-bound-in-human-form resided.

It would just be unnatural and unnecessary drama that she really wanted to avoid at all costs. So, Bish decided to nip this little bud early before it bloomed into disaster. She loved the wolf, just as much as her other close friends and family, but the whining did not suit her and she wouldn't have any of it. She had enough to deal with internally without needing to participate to every griping notion Lupin slipped out. But…every once in a while was okay; venting was all right, just not a continuous string of complaints that were the same every day.

With a gentle sigh, Bish finally sat down next to her friend, having found herself pacing for the past two minutes after Lupin's comment and patted her on the shoulder.

"I understand you want something to coddle and take care of, but in all honesty and in my opinion, I don't think you'd be able to handle taking care of yourself AND an animal. You should realize this too. You've had plenty of pets in the past, and you know more than anyone on this ship how much maintenance they ALL require. Plus, we're not in the twenty-first century; we can't exactly run down to a local pet store and buy whatever it is they need." She explained quietly, squeezing her friend's shoulder. Lupin looked disappointed, but also understanding. _She knew…she just needed to hear it from someone else…_

"If you want to, buy a pet that you think you can take care of, but again, I'm giving you a sincere opinion, I really don't think you should. Having one to keep around is nice and all but think of everything aside from good company. I'd say stick with Cotton's parrot; it's not yours, so you don't have to clean up after it." She chuckled, winking at Lupin. For a moment, she didn't respond and only stared blankly at her before smiling.

"I…guess…" The wolf replied, although it sounded strained. Bish almost frowned.

"Hey…why don't you just go and buy your own pet when we get back home, huh? When you and me get back, we'll look for an apartment that let's you keep caged animals and we'll look for like, a small animal or a bird or something. If not, well…can't say we didn't try, right?"

It was a small consolation, but it raised Lupin's spirits and surprisingly, Bish's as well. She felt better talking about going home. It had been a rather sore subject for a while, even for her and her hardened reserve. And, talking about helping her friend settle in college was something she could work with; it was something to look forward to, a sort of goal to work up to.

Finally, Bish pulled Lupin into a hug and the wolf buried her face against Bish's shoulder. She felt and heard rather than saw her friend sniffle a couple times, holding back the sobs she wanted to just let go of, but held back to save face.

"Oh, hun…we'll get out of this, don't worry. I can't make promises or guarantees, but I can sure as hell try, but you've got to carry your own; you're strong enough." Pulling her away for a few moments, she studied Lupin's face pointedly, looking over her glasses with all seriousness. "If you can carry a seventy-pound canoe and you're like, ninety-something pounds, you can keep working for your own keep on a ship like this and still be the crazy wolf that you are that doesn't stop making people smile or laugh. Seriously, I don't know how you did all that, but if you go down now, I'm really afraid that you won't get back up and I can't let you do that. You _**CAN**_ do this, because you know more about this place than I do. _Use that head of yours and don't ever lose it._ Understand?"

Sniffling, Lupin wiped away at the corners of her eyes, nodding vigorously. Her voice cracked when she spoke. "Yeah, I…I got that…"

Again, as disappointed as her friend was at seeing the bigger picture with many things, pets among them and whatnot, she needed to live in reality and not fantasy. Plus, Bish needed her friend; she had more knowledge about this place, this time period and all she had to do was thank all those notes she had typed up in her computer and—…

_Wait…her computer…_ Bish's eyes widened.

"Lupin…do you still have all those history notes you put into your computer?" She asked quietly, and the sudden subject change startled Lupin.

"My-my history notes? Why?"

Exasperated, Bish groaned. "Because, we can learn a little more about the history that's happening _right now, in this year. _Do you have them or not?"

"Yeah, I transferred them from my desktop, like, a few days after I got my laptop. I mean, I could look, but I think it's only American history; I never started typing up my notes until eleventh grade, remember? I think I tossed all of my history notes from tenth grade; those would be more useful to us than my American history notes…wouldn't they?"

She moaned at Lupin's answer. "Great…just great…we could've used those…"

"I'm sorry…" Lupin answered quietly, biting her lip, looking utterly younger and more innocent at that moment, what with her hair down and all those tiny braids and beads all around in her hair. She had taken off the sash momentarily from the heat a while ago and it hung around her neck now. Bish sighed.

"Don't…don't worry. It's not your fault; you didn't know that we were going to be stuck in the middle of some other century three years ago. We'll just…go with what you do know. Come on, let's look at what you DO have, though; we might actually find something useful, okay?"

Lupin didn't respond quite yet, but once again chose a mute nod as her answer. Bish smiled. "Okay, let's hurry though. I'm really tired and I want this done now rather than later when we'll forget."

"'Kay…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Come on, a review only takes like, a minute or two. Sure, it's one or two minutes that you can never, you know, _recover_, but come on... It makes me happy and makes me wanna actually _update_. You know you wanna what happens next; don't deny it, I can see it...through the computer screen. Yeah, let's go with that. I can see it through your _computer screen_. x3**


	21. Silence

**Chapter Twenty:  
Silence**

**Reviewers: **

**KageMiyasawa**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Mae**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Ladyalchemist**

**Tiggeranddash**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Whoo! Looks like I'm going to the anime con that's coming up soon! :D I is a happy wolf. But, on a more serious note, I'm most likely going to be cosplaying, so yarp. I'll try to get pictures. I'm gonna be visiting a good portion of the place with a few of my friends, so, hopefully I'll get something I really want down there. Maybe some new copic markers...or perhaps even some FMA stuff... **

**Can you say, "FMA Geek", much? xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Lives based on having are less free than lives based on either doing or being.  
_**- William James**

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"Okay, now…we're shifting to pivot our bodies in a circle, thrust out our foot, kick, and then tuck in the leg and let it smoothly land behind us. Like this."

Lupin took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily before moving in a swift motion, swiveling her entire body, propelling her right leg out powerfully, kicking out only at air, and then twirling gracefully with her leg tucked in and she dropped it behind her, once again taking a proper tae kwon do position. Bish watched and snorted at the end.

"Fine, I'll do a few more, but, I want to do pilates next and you're joining me, you got me?" She answered to the wolf, who lightly caught her breath, nodding.

"I got ya. I'll join. I need to loosen up my muscles anyways; they're really starting to stiffen up from all the time I'm spending up aloft and doing my curl ups and push ups…I think they'd do me some good."

"Of course they will. You're doing them with me, remember? Plus, we are both getting very in shape. Hell, yes."

"Ah, yes, how could I forget?" Lupin answered casually. "Now, do your roundhouse kick. Yeah—no, no, tuck in your leg more when you're through with kicking out. If someone were to grab your flailing leg, they can throw you off balance. Also, make the kick much swifter than you're doing."

Bish would admit, even if her friend was simply a purple belt—was it purple belt? Or was it green, even?—she was a good instructor, having finally gotten back into her martial arts status that she was forced to quit all those years ago. They finished up a little martial arts after three more roundhouse kicks, and Lupin's favorite demonstration, S.I.N.G.

"Solar plexus, instep, nose, groin. S.I.N.G." She would say cheerfully as she made Bish perform each move on her. Of course, her friend didn't harm the wolf and Lupin wouldn't harm Bishquet, either when performing demonstrations. And, for once, movies worked. "Thank you, _Miss Congeniality_ and Sandra Bullock!"

Then they moved to pilates, just as Lupin promised she'd do with Bishquet, who was in her element, just as Lupin was when in martial arts. They started out slowly, precision and controlled movements and breathing melting away the harsh actions Lupin's expertise provided. Other than the low groans of the ship's hull, the faint bleating of the goats and sheep, the disgusting smell of the sloshing waters from somewhere, the call or rumble of someone up above, it was rather silent. It created an almost perfect environment for the exercises Bish led and Lupin followed up on.

"Breathe in deeply…" She instructed quietly in a relaxed tone, and in unison they did so, letting it fill them up, and then releasing slowly in a controlled manner, sliding smoothly into the next position, their hips turning powerfully, yet effortlessly and gracefully. No sloppiness could be afforded and Bish was snappy and picky on precision in pilates and yoga; Lupin was the same in her martial arts. And, even though neither were trained professionals, nor were they educated instructors, they both were the best in their department with their own abilities to match and could only work with what they know.

They managed the best they could, and would have to go from there.

The atmosphere they were shrouded in was perfect for now. They could work with it, if they couldn't fight against it… From pilates, they shifted to yoga, and although it was very similar, Bish would always claim there were differences; some more noticeable than others, Lupin noted and other times, she couldn't tell, but performed the activities either way.

Halfway through, however, they were interrupted by none other than the Elric brothers; rarely did they ever receive any crewmembers, but on occasion when either one of the girls were alone, they would be visited by either of the brothers. But, never when they were together. It seemed a little ironic in a humorous sense.

And their entrance was a little more than loud, so the two stopped and waited as Ed first emerged from the shadows and then Al right behind him. Surprised at first, they stared at the young women, sitting cross-legged on the wooden planks, halfway in an intermediate and relaxing stretch when they heard the brothers coming. Lupin couldn't help but smirk at their surprised looks and Bish raised a brow questioningly. Ah, well…the yoga trance was broken now…

"Oh, uh…sorry, we didn't know you were down here…" Ed mumbled.

"What, you couldn't see the lantern burning?" Bish asked dryly, an amused little grin tugging at the corners of her lips. Al grinned sheepishly and looked at Edward.

"I told you, brother, but you didn't believe me…" He murmured to the older Elric. Ed in turn, rolled his eyes.

"We'll just go, sorry to disturb you…"

"No, no, we're done anyways. The trance is kinda broken now, anyways. I think I'll head up to bed now. You coming, Loopy?" Bish shrugged, untangling herself from her cross-legged position and standing up. She frowned at the dampness her pants had accumulated without her knowing and she brushed at it absently while staring at the wolf, who hadn't gotten up yet. Tugging at her sports bra—her 'training shirt', as she liked to jokingly call it—Lupin shrugged a neutral reply and stood, picking at the sweats she had chosen to wear, noting she was damp too. Finally she shook her head.

"No. I think I'll stay behind," She said, then turned to the Elric brothers. "You can too. I don't mind."

They exchanged glances as Lupin pulled off her iPod clipped to the rim of her pants and began to unwind the white wire around its black leather casing. Bish watched before rolling her eyes as the wolf popped in the nubs. Lupin blinked. "What?"

"Music freak."

"_Muse_ junkie."

"Damned straight." She said with a light pop upside the wolf's head. She whimpered and ducked away. Then she clicked on her iPod, suddenly grinning. Popping one of the nubs out, she shoved it against Bish's ear. The Hispanic woman stopped and held the nub close before she nodded her head, joining Lupin by grinning.

Quietly, the both began singing. The lyrics, in question were… Well, different. It didn't exactly intrigue Ed and Al, but it did catch their attention, although not in the best sense.

"_You got a body like the devil  
And you smell like sex  
I can tell you're trouble  
But I'm still obsessed…_

_Because you know you're so hot  
I wanna get you alone  
So hot  
I wanna get you stoned  
So hot  
I don't wanna be your friend  
I wanna fuck you like I'm never gonna see you again…_"

Laughing more at the song, Bish returned the nub. "Omigod, wow…you actually got that song? I want it…really bad. Think you can send it to…oh, right. No Internet. Duh. Crap. Anyway, I'm gonna steal your iPod sometime to listen to that, kay? That's like, the only _Kid Rock_ song I'll listen to."

Waving her off, Lupin shrugged. "Whatever. See you in a little while." When Bish finally left, bidding them all goodnight, Lupin was already wriggling to the song, waving her body in rhythm to the beat, singing it to herself as well before getting up on her usual beam that she hung upside down from to perform her curl-ups. Once more, looks were exchanged before Lupin stopped and stared at them, upside down, loose strands of hair that had come undone from her ponytail hanging limp or plastered to her face by sweat.

Once again, she popped out an earphone nub. "Well? I'm not kicking you out or anything. Come, join; do whatever." She waved a dismissive at them, before her face began to slowly flush and she resumed her curl-ups, putting the nub back in, counting herself now, instead of singing.

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Jack the Monkey clambered around the shrouds, shrieking like a retarded spaz as someone swiped at him when he ventured too close. Batting his own little hand right back, he hissed unpleasantly and with limber, agile moves, scuttled about, climbing down lower. Twisting his head around, he looked around at the blue waters below, then down at the crew that was mopping the decks and he spotted one of the women that were on board—the one with frizzy, uncontrolled hair—and he cocked his head to the side, staring before finding himself on the railing on the starboard side, watching the activity with glee.

Curling his tail up a little, the monkey blinked a few times before spotting the other woman—the one with the long, straight brown hair held up in a ponytail—and darted towards her. He liked her; she didn't try to hit him away like the other woman or crewmembers, who screeched just as loud as he did when he came too close to her. Jumping up with lithe grace, the young woman he decided to perch on was startled only for a few moments before she calmed and patted him on the head, uttering soft words to him consolingly.

"Oh, hey bubba, how're you today?" She murmured. He squeaked, and although he didn't understand the meaning behind them, he nonetheless felt the implied message through her tone; she was glad to see him, even though others wouldn't be so joyful if he did this to them. And, even though she wasn't his master, Barbossa, she was still kind to him. At least she didn't try to stab or shoot him like everyone else who had a weapon on them.

Lupin sighed as she found Bish mopping the deck alongside some of the other men and couldn't help but grin as she perched herself next to the railing, avoiding the scuppers as they filled with grimy waters that fell back into the ocean from someone's bucket. "He finally got you working, huh?" She asked casually, only to earn a glare in return.

"No shit. I said I wanted to be a doctor, not a maid or hired hand." She grumbled disconcertedly, groaning. "I'm not meant for labor, I'm meant for other stuff…that doesn't include climbing around like that fucking monkey and pulling down a few bed sheets that serve as sails" Bish whined. Lupin chuckled, earning another glare.

"And what the fuck are you laughing at?"

"Nothing. Just amused at you and relieved by this good weather. Oh, God, Italy…okay, island next to Italy, but still…its part of Italy. I've never even been to anyplace near Italy or Italy itself. This should be a nice shore-leave when it comes up." Lupin answered at ease, scratching the monkey on the head that crouching on her shoulder. He made a soft warbling noise and grabbed at her hand, fondling the fingers and picking at them with his own nimble fingers.

Bish eyed the creature with distaste. "How can you let that THING sit there? Who knows what kind of…diseases it's carrying?"

"Well…considering that the monkey is undead, I'd have to say…none. The undead can't carry diseases, remember? Plus, they can't eat or drink anything either, so there's not as much maintenance to handle."

All Lupin's friend could do was shake her head, eyes narrowed, distrusting. "I still don't think you should let that thing near you. He uses you as a human shield every time Jack pulls out his gun on that thing and one day, you're gonna get shot. Just let the man shoot it and you can…_coddle_ it later when it comes whining to you, because when you do get shot, you can fix yourself, I'm not pulling a bullet out of you."

Lupin huffed and pulled Jack the Monkey off of her shoulder, holding him close to her chest, pouting. "Don't listen to the mean lady, she just doesn't like you all that much…" She mumbled to the monkey. Curious brown eyes looked up at the wolf and the monkey reached up, patting Lupin's face, probing and Lupin giggled, tugging at the little outfit the monkey wore before letting him loose. Once again, he chose to perch on Lupin's shoulder like he belonged to her, but truly he didn't. He just wanted something to sit on other than rope or the hard wooden masts.

"Oi, what're you doing?"

Turning, both young women looked to see Jack standing on deck, staring at them both with observant, quick almond eyes, the ring of kohl fading around the rim of his eyes. Looking around for a moment, Lupin checked if anyone was around. Nope. She turned back to Jack and shrugged, feeling suddenly awkward. _Was there something I was supposed to do?_ "Um…standing and chillin' with the undead monkey?" She answered, embarrassed. Bish snickered at the face the Captain pulled at Lupin's answer as he spotted said monkey.

"Interesting," He answered, although his tone bordered mocking. His lips twitched as he made a different face at the monkey, who screeched and bared its little teeth at the man he was named after. Jack hissed right back and Lupin had to prevent herself from laughing out loud by biting her lip, only allowing a smile to cross her features. Bish, however, thought it was very amusing and chuckled to herself as she stroked the wooden deck with the ragged, smelly mop a few times, just to save face and show she was working.

"Okay, okay, enough, you two. Am I gonna have to put you both in a corner until you've thought about your actions?" Lupin joked; looking first at Jack and then the monkey perched on her shoulder. All she got was a blank stare in return from Jack…one that really made her fidget before she cracked a nervous grin. Bish merely sat back and enjoyed the show before her, currently under the radar and not being provoked into going back to mopping the deck.

"Okay, okay, I'll…go do something now." Turning, she made to scamper away as fast as she could go but was stopped at a hand descending on her shoulder. She repressed the urge to shiver at the contact as a thumb trailed farther down her forearm.

"Actually, I had a matter o' affairs to manage with you, Miss Hawkins. Immediately, as it were, seeing as the men insist I take it up with you." She heard another disgruntled hiss come from both monkey and Captain before the little monkey jumped off her shoulder quite suddenly and took the shrouds, leaving her shoulder bare and empty. Turning, Lupin caught sight of Bish's eye, who could only fail at suppressing her amusement from behind Jack's back.

The wolf returned her gaze back towards Jack, who motioned to his cabin doors with a surprisingly graceful motion. His eyes were masked behind a wall and Lupin was quite suspicious now, her guard up. If Jack noticed, he didn't show it. "If you please…Miss Hawkins."

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Once again, Lupin found herself more attuned to the artifacts and baubles Jack had lying about in the cabin—organized, as it seemed, but still, they were scattered about—and only when he cleared his throat to gather her attention did she turn to the piratical captain. She followed him to the table and he took seat in his chair and Lupin merely stood, eyes flickering to the charts that Jack had spread out and the utensils he used to accurately measure distances and the like.

Finally turning to look at Jack himself, he waited a few moments longer, glancing at the charts, then back at Lupin. He took off his hat and for the moment, placed it on the back of his chair before turning 'round and looking back at the wolf. She waited patiently before he spoke.

"I don't want t' beat around the bush darlin', considering the predicament the men seem to be placing me under an' through me, you." He started, pausing once more and Lupin narrowed her eyes more in curiosity than suspicion now.

"If this is about the monkey, I—,"

"No, no, it's not about that bloody…_thing_, and please, don't interrupt me again." He answered back casually before nodding towards the door. "All I wanted you t' know is that, although the men enjoy yer meals, they'd like a little fresh meat tonight, if it wouldn't be too much trouble. One o' the sheep, perhaps or maybe even a goat. I'm sure you know how t' prepare something good like that, what with yer cooking and all."

Startled, Lupin merely gaped like a fish out of water, opening her mouth a few times, only to close it, flabbergasted. Finally, she trusted her voice to come back and answered, "One…of the sheep? You mean, like…kill it?" She didn't exactly pale at the idea of killing something for the sake of food, really; just at the thought of having to do the WORK of making it into food. She's never killed anything in order to eat it…

Jack seemed to sense her unease and cocked his head to the side, curious. "Something wrong, luv?"

She knit her brows uncomfortable and screwed her face up a little, biting her lip. "Er… Well, in my…time period, my family doesn't kill livestock to feed off of it. We go to a large…market, if you will, to buy the meat that's been frozen, already packaged for us to buy. I've never killed a cow or a chicken or anything to eat it before." Her answer came rather hesitantly, and she felt utterly embarrassed to be telling him this, but at least she was answering truthfully instead of just nodding and trying to wing it later on. She might burn something if she wasn't careful.

_Maybe I can get out of killing one of the sheep and have someone else do it for me. Oh, yeah, and clean it up too. I don't wanna kill it!_ She thought morosely, almost wanting to pout and frown like a child at the thought, but held her composure for the sake of saving face in front of Jack. Said pirate leaned back in his seat, stroking his chin, staring at her with more awareness.

"Interesting… A large market, you say? With pre-packaged food? How does your food not rot, if you don't mind me askin'?"

She blinked. "Um…well, there are these machines that keep the food cold and fresh. It's more of a store, really, like a clothing store? Only it sells food, not clothing and it's under management, run by different people. Kind of like how you run the ship and you have people working under you. It's like that." Lupin found herself automatically replying, trying to explain as best she could. If she were to try and explain everything, in detail, it would take time to convince Jack that some things were more possible than this century would ever dream of.

He continued to stroke his chin, tapping his leather booted foot against the floor, studying the wolf's face. After another minute or so of silence, he sat up straight and stood, pulling back his hat on. "Come along, then. I'll have Mr. Gibbs help you with the sheep. I'm sure you'd prefer to have help then try something on yer own, aye?"

Lupin felt a little lost at the continuous subject change, but also felt relieved at the prospect of receiving help. She honestly didn't think she could wing it by herself and so followed Jack out of the cabin and across the deck as Jack called for Gibbs.

The seasoned sailor with his steely sideburns and frayed and worn outfit came striding up next to Jack. Lupin suddenly felt small, like a child again as Jack murmured the word to Gibbs and the man looked to Lupin once or twice before nodding, letting out a clear, "Aye, Cap'n," and to Lupin, "Come along, lass, we've some nasty work to do now. Perhaps a little more help is required."

Turning, he looked among the men before shouting, "Mr. Elric!"

"Which one!"

Lupin could have almost laughed, but her voice got chocked up and she ended up swallowing instead before calming herself down. She did feel more than a little more nervous to be slaughtering… _No, slaughter's too cruel a word. That doesn't sound all too right…_ She thought with a frown before replacing it with something a little less harsh.

"The shorter 'un!" Gibbs called back to the reply, whom Lupin had identified as Alphonse. She heard him laugh at his brother's coarse language and finally found her own voice to laugh along with as she spotted the red-faced, angry looking Edward finding his way down the shrouds.

"Careful, Ed! Don't slip and fall, now!" She heard Bish call from somewhere and she found her friend on the quarterdeck, holding onto the spokes of the helm, under the careful surveillance of Mr. Cotton and his parrot.

"I won't!" Ed snapped back, but she was sure the wind had snatched away his comment when it had picked up; she could barely hear it, but Bish's laughter was easily carried to her ears. As he clambered down, Lupin tilted her head back, looking up to see Al working alongside the others. She waved at him, shielding her eyes from the sun and she saw him wave back. Seeing a more friendly face made her feel a little better.

When she turned back to Gibbs and Ed, the elder Elric looked disgruntled, but at the same time, very relieved to be down where it was relatively more stable to stand.

"Right now, come along, you two. I want to get this done with as little mess as possible."

Edward turned his intense and hardened gaze towards Lupin. She was used to the hardness his eyes contained by now and felt no urge to flinch anymore, unless he was actually and truthfully angry…

"What's he talking about?" He asked Lupin. She sighed.

"Jack wants me to make lamb for dinner, but I've never killed an animal for food, so I'm getting help, i.e. you and Gibbs." She explained bluntly. Ed raised a brow. He didn't even pale at her implied message and it was then she remembered that him and his brother had spent a month on an isolated island, without supplies, before they could take up training with Izumi Curtis in alchemy. It left a bitter taste in her mouth that she had to hide this information from Edward and his brother, but it also felt right not telling him. She didn't want to hurt either of them with that knowledge…

She snapped out of her reverie when she realized that her feet had taken her to where the sheep and the two goats were left to stay. The mixed scent of their body odor and wastes was disgusting, but it seemed someone had at least tried to clean up not too long ago… Although, it seemed the work was abandoned, and only halfway done. Ed crinkled his nose in distaste at the smell but said nothing, and neither did Gibbs.

Turning to the two, he looked between them. "Now, you two aren't uncomfortable with killing one o' them, are you?" He asked right out, still flickering his gaze between the two.

Lupin shook her head and Ed merely grunted out, "No."

Nodding, satisfied, Gibbs turned back to the small pen, chose one and motioned to it. "Now, we've a bit of a big crew, and hearty appetites, aye? So, I know it's a little messy and perhaps..." He paused, looking more concernedly at Lupin before continuing, "Perhaps a little more than what most are used to, but it's what happens to some animals; they're food fer us."

Lupin nodded, looking at the sheep Gibbs had chosen and taken out, tying it to a beam with a thin, worn roping. "Ah, blast it all, I've forgotten a knife, hang on…"

"Wait, I…I've got one."

She hesitated at her own words, left leg halfway picked up and Gibbs turned to her. "Well, then, hand it over, lemme see it." He grunted. Apparently, the fact that she was not a proper young woman had passed over him and he saw her as a potential helping hand now, but other times there were situations where she and Bishquet were handled a little more delicately on certain subjects than either of them would have preferred.

Nodding and licking her lips, she lifted her pant leg and unclipped the pocketknife she had stuffed against her shoelaces and handed it over to Gibbs. He stared at the object, dumbfounded before she groaned. "It-it pops out, here…lemme show you."

It didn't help that Ed had stayed quiet throughout this whole ordeal and merely watched as Lupin took the blade out of its hidden pocket, twirled it deftly in her hand with nimble fingers and held the handle out to the flabbergasted pirate, who merely took it, staring at it as if it were one of the best inventions he ever laid eyes on. Finally, Ed found the initial to roll his eyes.

Lupin seemed to share the same feelings, because she finally cleared her throat loudly and motioned to the sheep with her head. "It's just a knife, Mr. Gibbs. Something I can buy on a street corner without any hassle from the armed forces where I come from."

Edward couldn't help but notice that she chose her words carefully; instead of saying 'police', she merely replaced it with something else that Gibbs would connect with fairly easily. Finally, the older man nodded and turned, sighing.

"I'll have to do the dirtiest part of the job fer now, but it does take quite a few hands to help after it's done and over with. I'll need you both to help hold 'er down fer me so I can make it a quick and clean cut." It was obvious in Gibbs' tone that he didn't like the idea of doing this work either. But, people were hungry and would want food…

So, for once, Ed and Lupin exchanged uneasy glances before moving in to help hold down the poor sheep that would later become that night's dinner.

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**Oh, right, remember to review; y'all. I'll hound you like House does to solve that puzzle of his. Speaking of House...who can't wait for it to come back with the new fifth season? Huh? Huh? Tell me! Tell me nyao! xD **


	22. Good Company

**Chapter Twenty-One  
Good Company**

**Reviewers: **

**Volital**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Tiggeranddash**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

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_Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means that freedom from thinking about yourself at all.  
_- **William Temple  
**

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Lupin didn't make any faces as she helped shear off the skin and wool off of the sheep, helping clean up the viscous, warm blood that had formed a puddle around the body. The calmness in her state didn't surprise Edward much: she did tell a few stories where she had to scale, gut and clean fishes, so this wouldn't be so different from that. She even grinned a little as she helped splitting the ribcage open, glancing at all the organs inside in wonder.

Although it was amusing for the moment, Ed finally found the job dirtier than Gibbs had first implied and the sailor swore under his breath at the mess that was already forming, a frown on his face. "Haven't done this in a long while; someone else would normally do this sort o' work." He mumbled, more to himself than to Edward or Lupin. Finally, after the hour of working on cutting out all of the edible meat and storing it away in the galley, Lupin looked down at her attire with a crinkle of disgust on her face. Ed mirrored her and sniffed.

"Ugh. This'll be a bitch to wash out." She grumbled as she smacked at her pant leggings once or twice, disgruntled. He shrugged as Gibbs called them both back over and Lupin scratched at her cheek, leaving a smear of the sheep's blood on her face. The elder Elric noticed and snickered under his breath. The wolf cast him a curious look, glanced down at her hands and then swore under her breath.

"And all you do is laugh. How charitable." She grunted at him, stepping over the twisted and mangled body, grabbing one of the legs and helping to drag the lighter corpse away. Dark smudges of blood trailed along the relatively dry woodwork, and Lupin crinkled her nose once again. "Gross, but manageable. I've seen worse."

"How?"

"I've been shark fishing and we accidentally caught one in the gills. Had to slice the poor bastard up and gut him. I got the whole set of jaws sitting in my room. But, I refused to eat it that night. I have this…complex against eating other predators, like a shark or an alligator." Lupin answered casually back. As they continued to drag the creature's husk, she turned her head and sneezed over her shoulder. She wiped her nose with her forearm.

"Someone must be talking about me…" She murmured distantly.

Ed opened his mouth to reply, but stopped short as someone from above decks shouted something incoherent and he paused to listen. Lupin followed his example, cocking her head to the side, straining her own ears.

"Did he say ships or chips? I didn't quite catch that." She finally said after a few moments of silence. Gibbs came their way, having gone above decks to inform Jack of their progress and answered Lupin's question before Ed could.

"A ship was spotted to the horizon on the starboard side. Brace yerselves, we might try to overtake her." He glanced down at the sheep's husk; merely all that was left over was the bones and excess fats that couldn't be eaten. The rest Lupin had taken to the galley earlier, ready to be prepared for that night's dinner.

Edward's gaze hardened at the aspect of this ship's crew overtaking another. He looked to Gibbs, whom didn't seem to notice and he turned to leave, looking quite eager to the opportunity of taking another ship's goods. Ed bristled when he noticed the carefree little smile on the wolf's face. "How can you smile like that? They'll kill the other crew if Jack let's them!"

Her enthusiasm immediately faded and she turned her gaze towards him, looking disappointed at him. He wanted to glare at her, get angry and yell all of a sudden, just from the wolf's seemingly excited countenance when she heard they would be taking another ship down for the prospect of goods and supplies. Ed dropped the leg had grasped in his hands, resisting the urge to clench them into fists. Lupin held onto hers, lips pursed, but saying nothing.

Leveling his breathing, it wouldn't have done any good to get angry with her. She studied his face. "They won't kill the other crew. Jack wouldn't ever allow it." She finally said quietly, and she began to slowly pull the dead sheep's body with ease along the course she had been going on. He merely watched, taking no part in helping her now.

"And how would you know? He's a pirate. You say you know a lot about pirates, and maybe you do, but that doesn't change the fact that a considerable amount of them are murdering thieves. They'd rather kill and rape then to show any mercy. You should know at least that much from all your studies that you've claimed to have made."

That made her bristle and she snarled at him.

"Jack isn't like that!" The sudden volume in her voice made him jump a little. She glared at him, at his accusation. Before he could continue, she once again picked back up. "He would never allow that and even if he is a pirate, he's a good man! You don't know anything because you're just too damned stubborn and anti-social to even get to know anyone! All you ever do is hide secrets with your brother, pushing everyone away and then you wonder why no one will tell you anything! It's because they're returning the favor that you're shoving at everyone else!"

As soon as the words poured out of her mouth, she clapped a hand over it, eyes widened in surprise at her own words. Edward merely stared, gaping at the smaller young woman, who finally dropped the leg of the sheep she had been dragging along, shaking her head.

"I…I didn't mean…Ed…"

How the subject had changed from the issue of pirates attacking merchants and Jack's crew to a personal issue was beyond the wolf, but she clearly had heard it loud and clear in her own mind and words. She bit her lip, ignoring the smell of dry blood caking her hands, the material flaking off from the driest sections. Again she shook her head. "I really didn't mean to say that. I just—I'm sorry…"

He held up his hand and she fell silent, removing her hand away from her face, traces of still-wet residue streaking her tanned face. It struck him funny that he actually noticed such a detail at a time like this. Pushing the thought aside, he continued to stare at her, half in disbelief at her sharp words and the other in anger. But, from the look on her face, obviously she knew the depth of how deep her words had cut, but she remained silent, even when her eyes gave off that vibe that she was pleading forgiveness, that she was sorry.

_If you're so sorry, then you shouldn't have said anything that had nothing do with what I had been talking about._ He thought bitterly. Ed clenched his jaw slightly, trying not to open his mouth to speak; he didn't exactly trust what might come out and honestly, he didn't want to try and deal with another crisis that would result in harsher words to be exchanged between the two of them. And for another, Al would probably never let him live it down that he still liked to cause trouble and couldn't communicate with women as well as he could have.

She still hadn't spoken and after another minute's silence, she stooped over silently and picked up a bloodstained leg, and started to walk away, but paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "We're not going to raid that ship. I can guarantee it." She said to him softly and then was gone.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

True to her words, the _Black Pearl_ sailed on without raiding or pillaging the merchant ship off to the horizon within the hour, it disappeared between the fine line dividing the sky and the sea. Ed furrowed his brow as he stared out where the ship had once been about an hour before. _She knew…she knew about this._

It puzzled and frustrated him. How did she know all of this? A history book? Or perhaps in her time, she has a copy of Jack's log, three hundred years later after he's been gone and dead? It was extremely disturbing to think about that. And if she knew, then it was extremely irritating that she was keeping this from him and Alphonse. _Jack might not have a log or a journal, though…_ Ed reminded himself sternly. He didn't want to jump to conclusions. He sighed. How long would Jack put off raiding a ship before they actually do? _Or until the crew goes against him and makes him walk the plank._

An odd yet amusing image flashed across his mind and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself, grinning. But, of course, if Lupin had ever heard him say that aloud, she would have slapped him out right and then lectured him on the proper protocol of pirates and their codes. Then again, he didn't know they had a code…

Turning away and leaning on the railing, Ed found his brother sitting in the shade, relaxing from the afternoon heat, reading the book that Lupin had given Ed and from him, to Alphonse. And the logic in the story made sense enough, but hadn't she realized herself that just by being here, they could be distorting history, for better or worse? She probably did… He frowned again, noting the sudden subject change from her outburst earlier to time distortions.

Al finally closed the book and ran a hand over it before standing, looked around and spotted his older brother, leaning on the railing, looking troubled. He frowned, concerned. Making his way over, Ed noticed Al and offered a vague smile. Looking down at the worn book, the corrosion it had suffered over the years had doubled, not being able to properly be stored away in a drier climate.

"So?" Ed asked quietly. Al looked his brother in the eyes.

"I can see why Lupin doesn't want us to try and stop any bombings. She wouldn't even tell us where they were dropped. You noticed her evasion on the subject, too." He answered. Ed nodded.

"Yeah, I did. And she probably won't talk to us about it, either. We probably won't know until it happens, if we get back."

"Don't you mean, 'when we get back'?"

Edward shook his head. "No, I mean 'if'. I don't fully trust Jack and I don't want to get my hopes up, not yet at least…although I can't say the same for the girls. They seem to have extremely high hopes on this person Jack's talked about." Again, he wondered how they could possibly know if Jack is telling the truth to them. For all they knew, he could be stringing them along until he found a place to dump them. _He could have left them in Spain, though._

Al sighed. "Brother…"

"I'm just saying…" He grumbled back. Once again, Alphonse looked down at the book.

"I'll go and return the book to her. She's probably wondering why it's taken us so long to get it back." He grinned sheepishly and turned to leave, but Ed stopped him.

"Wait, I'll…I'll take it to her."

Curious, Al looked at his brother, before temptation to smile at his brother tugged at his lips. "You sure?" He hadn't known of the slight tiff the two had had earlier and Ed thought it better not to mention anything. He nodded and extended a hand towards the book, motioning for it.

"Yeah, don't worry about."

It still made him wonder, as he took the book and wandered below decks, how Lupin knows more than she lets on about this century; especially about this crew and this particular ship and its eccentric captain…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After having taken the sheep carcass away from Ed and letting herself mull over her own thoughts, Lupin felt frustrated and was agitated at her own short fuse. _I could've handled that better…I shouldn't have acted like a child._ She thought glumly.

Turning back to the task at hand, she finished up quickly and cleaned as much of the dried blood from her arms and her clothing with some water and a worn rag. Making a face, the wolf wished she had at least some soap to help her get this out… After a while, she found herself, seasoning the sheep's meat, but she didn't really know how to cook the meat; she only knew about beef, chicken, turkey and ham, and they all varied differently on how they needed to be cooked.

It made her uncertain and somewhat diminished in creative ideas. She couldn't exactly wing it—if she did, she could possibly do something wrong, make the crew sick and then get blamed for the results—and she didn't want to look like an idiot and ask for help from anyone on the crew aside from Bishquet… But then again, Bish might not know much more than she did, but it was helpful anyways to hear what her friend's opinion would be.

_Maybe I should've learned how to cook lamb from my mom…_

But, before any more spiteful thoughts about her situation could continue rattling through her mind, Bish came pouncing behind the contemplative, oblivious wolf, startling her out of her reverie.

"Aaahh!"

"Bitch, hurry UP, I'm HUNGRY!" She growled in a playful manner, and Lupin wriggled away, startled and dumbfounded before gathering her own senses. Her vision blurred and reaching a hand up, she began fussing at her contacts that lay plastered to her eyes.

"Bish, don't do that!" She snapped back.

"Aw, but I couldn't resist! The lights were on, and somebody was home!"

Lupin continued fussing over her blurry and dry eyes. When she still hadn't paid any heed to her, Bish frowned at her friend. Lupin whimpered and whined, as if something was harming her, and she continued to vigorously rub at her eyes.

"Hun, is something wrong?"

"I…I don't know, my eyes hurt a little, they're all dry and stuff…"

Her suspicions grew. Bish pulled Lupin's arms away from her face. "How long have you had your contacts in for? You got the thirty day contact prescription not too long ago, right?"

Lupin sniffed. "Yeah, I did, but I can't remember when I last took them out…" Then Lupin frowned herself, finally catching on. "Oh…"

"Yeah, 'OH'. Go, right now. Take them out, let your eyes breath a little and rest. You look like shit. I'll tell Jack that I put you under house arrest until you're feeling better. You're looking a little on the thin side."

The wolf sniffed again, only this time in disdain. "I've always been thin. Just not anorexic or bulimic or anything." She grumbled.

"Well, you've been eating less and less over the past few weeks; don't think I haven't noticed, I just didn't want to say anything and make you upset. I'm saying it now because I'm worrying for your health. And when I said thin, I meant in an unhealthy way, as in you're not eating enough to sustain yourself. I want you to try and eat more than you usually have been lately tonight and I'll have someone come cook this in your place. Now go, take your contacts out, wear your glasses for the rest of the night and we'll see about tomorrow. Rest. Now."

Lupin didn't look at all happy at her friend's sudden charge over her, but she realized that Bish was only looking out for her, just as she had always been. On one side, Lupin was irritated, but the other was relieved that someone finally took notice to actually care…not that Bish never cared, no… Sighing, Lupin finally nodded, reluctantly.

"Okay, Dr. Bishquet, I'll go, like a good little girl."

Bish in turn, patted Lupin on the head like a dog. "Good girl…now shoo, be gone!"

Somehow, Lupin found her way to the forecastle and into the cubby without bruising herself or her ego too badly, considering she was still trying to ease her discomfort that her contacts were forming. Fumbling around in her bag after she lit the lamp, she finally managed to pull her contact case up. The solution was low, but still sloshed about silently behind the thick plastic case and Lupin unscrewed the lid, took off her contacts carefully and refilled the case with fresh solution.

Then she stupidly forgot to fish out her glasses as she began zipping everything back into her bag. Swearing, she once again dove back and found them after a while. Cleaning the lenses before she put her glasses on, she sighed and booted up her computer while she did so and finally plopped it on her lap, glasses on. The computer screen glowed softly as she began pattering away at the keys, the computer starting up and booting up the systems she wanted on.

For about twenty minutes, she was left undisturbed and she had to drag out her earphones to listen to music—it would have been very odd for a pirate of this century to hear twenty-first century music. But, within the hour, she heard a pair of footsteps coming closer to the cubby. Closing the lid of her computer hurriedly, she set it beside her, and took off her glasses as well. However, halfway in reaching for a book across the cubby, a familiar voice rose behind the curtain.

"Lupin, are you in there?"

Stopping mid-way, she blinked and looked at the curtain. _Ed…? What does he want? Thought he was pissed at me._ She thought bitterly, mind reeling back to their conversation; although, from his tone, he didn't sound angry at all, maybe irritated, but not angry.

Finally, she sighed. "Yeah, what is it?" Lupin finally said, trying not to sound bitchy or pissed. She may not be angry, but she was a little hurt at his accusations towards Jack and felt like it was an obligation to protect the pirate's good name; Ed didn't really know him well enough to be saying the things he did without justification.

Sitting back up, Lupin finally told him he could just come in instead of just standing there, talking to the curtain. Pulling it back, he stooped under the arch and crouched. She saw what was in his hand and raised a brow. "You done?"

"Yeah. I told Al I'd give it back…but I also wanted to talk to you about earlier."

Lupin raised a brow. "How'd you find me?" She asked, inching her glasses away. She normally didn't like people seeing her with her glasses on; it was a self-conscious thing, and it only made her appear younger than normal…

"Bish. She was in the galley, watching Al cook. What's wrong with you?"

_Crap. _"Erm…she wanted me to take it easy. She said I was looking…a little ill." Her hesitance didn't go unnoted by the former alchemist and he frowned.

"You…look fine to me."

She felt a little more than awkward talking to him now, when she had just yelled at him a few hours before. "Look, I'm not gonna defy Dr. Bishquet. She'll hurt me and then I'll really need to be put to rest. Don't go against her word, she's vicious. Seriously."

_This is getting nowhere and I'm still mad at him. _Pushing her glasses a little more away, she shifted her laptop back onto her lap, trying to look and sound as casual as she could, but that didn't help the fact that she couldn't see too well, and her screen was blurry. She squinted and held out a hand, looking over what she had written on the screen. Every so often, she would write down the events of the day, week or the month. It helped keep her sane and oriented with the time and the date of her time period. Looking at her own clock—changed to match that of the Mediterranean and she hoped to God that she was at least accurate on her time zone—and noted it was about half an hour after five. The date stated that it was the August 20th. But she wasn't sure if it were accurate. She only knew that they'd been sailing for nearly two and a half, perhaps almost three months now.

September was coming up. Bish's birthday was in that month. She'll have to give Bishquet something as a present; maybe a good one-shot for her would suffice. And a drawing. Yeah, a good old fashioned drawing. It would be a goal to work up to for her friend. She'd need something to occupy her mind for a while.

"Something wrong?" Ed shifted close by her and she shook her head.

"It…it's nothing. Can I have my book back, please?" She sighed, replying tiredly to him. After a moment's hesitation, Ed handed it to her and she took it, tucking it next to her gingerly before adding, "You know…I don't go saying bad things about you behind your back. I think you should have the decency to do the same with others. Get to know Jack; he's not as bad as you think he is or you make him out to be. You'd be very surprised at his morals on robbing other ships. They're quite humane compared to other pirates I could mention."

_Like Davy Jones, for one._

He looked at her with a blank, stony face but nodded at her words. She brought up a valid point; they could have been left with an even worse pirate to sail with…someone who was less relaxed and lenient than Jack. It was mostly the men that made up the crew that stirred him up, that's all. But Jack did bring up some strange notions that brought up questions to his mind.

Finally, he sighed and excused himself. Lupin watched him go and was almost disappointed when he left. There were times when she liked his company…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I need coffee…"

Disgruntled, Edward stared out at the early morning sky, the dawn in clear shades of dazzling orange, pink, and lavender, gold and traces of dove gray. Last night's dinner wasn't half bad, but he couldn't help but notice Lupin and Bish's absence from the deck, but he didn't bother them.

Lupin was awake early and had found both he and his brother just as they had woken up. She would have to go and make breakfast soon, but had come up deck to see the sunset. She groaned along with him.

"I do too…" She moaned, flopping her hand listlessly on the railing. She sniffed. "We should start, like, a club or something. The Coffee Deprived Addicts Club."

It was a light attempt at humor and Ed couldn't help but feel a smile tug at his lips stiffly, while Al chuckled. "And why's that? I'm sure you can survive a few more weeks without it."

She moaned even louder, looking at the younger Elric brother in disbelief, turning her head, eyes wide. "Because, coffee is like, man's greatest invention…besides frozen pizza."

He gave her a quizzical look at the latter bit, but then she grinned, noticing Ed's smile.

"See! He understands! Thank you!" She patted his right hand like it was the last lifeline of sanity she had, although Ed couldn't feel it. "You understand…now my life's complete."

She stretched, balancing on the balls of her feet, and her particular choice of shirt lifted slightly to reveal the band of her jeans and a strip of her tanned stomach. Twirling, she made way towards the stairwell that led below decks. "Ah, I'm going to make breakfast now, and then go back to sleep. I hate mornings, they should be illegal… Ciao."

Over the next hour, the smells of morning breakfast being made permeated from the galley, and lately, Lupin had been cutting back on most of the morning delicacies she used to make and started with some sort of gruel, only it tasted better when she added regular or even brown sugar as a treat. It was amazing how integrated she became, despite her complaints that she was used to technology from her time, such a stove, oven or a 'microwave'. Edward and Alphonse, who heard many of these little complaints, did not know what she was talking about, but Bish obviously could related and added her own input often times.

So, now after breakfast was served, Lupin seemed more awake, and it seemed less than likely that she would go back to sleep like she had vowed herself. Darting around deck, she caught Jack the Monkey and had him perch on her shoulder for most of the morning until she was called for more lessons in sailing. Al noticed the lack of participation on Bish's part more often than the woman was aware and frowned, glancing over at Lupin with Gibbs. He was pairing her with Edward and Li today, so he was free.

Walking towards her, Alphonse sat besides Bish in the shade, who seemed quite content, reading one of her own books that she had brought with her, and Lupin had saved from the _Black Jack_. He glanced curiously at the cover for a moment, and then back at Bish's face. She was reading the text inside, and seemed to be greedily eating the words right up, too into the story to notice his presence. Finally, he cleared his throat. She looked up and blinked a few times owlishly behind her glasses, then at him and smiled.

"Oh, hi. Didn't see you there. What's up?" She marked her place in the book with a worn piece of leather and closed it, laying it down in her lap. He smiled, and then looked back around to see Lupin scaling the shrouds sufficiently quick; as quick as Li, but his brother was keeping a steady pace. He didn't blame his older brother at all. One mistake, one slip and he could end up on the bottom of the ocean…

"I was just curious as to why you don't take any lessons with Lupin. I'm sure you'd be good at sailing." He started casually, and Bish raised a brow, and then looked up to where Lupin was already perched on one of the masts above, Edward finally having caught up to her.

"Eh…I don't really see myself going up there. I just can't. Maybe if I was allowed to sit in the crow's nest, yeah, but doing all the sails and the ropes? No. No way. Lupin loves that stuff, so I'll leave it to her. She's a freak for this shit, not me." She answered truthfully. She honestly didn't see the point in learning, seeing as they would get this little errand of Jack's over with, sail back to the Caribbean all cool and shit, and then go see Tia Dalma. THEN they could go home and pretend this never happened…

That gave her pause as she stared at the adorable Alphonse seated next to her, and she noted his unruly hair was longer then when she first saw him on the lifeboat, and now had to be tied back as a result of its growth. It only added to the lusciously rugged and unkempt air surrounding the younger Elric brother. He studied her face for a few moments longer, then nodded and grinned roguishly.

"I see. You don't think it necessary to learn if you're going home soon."

She nodded. "I'll let Lupin crawl around like that monkey. Me, if I'm to ever go up there, it's to sit my ass in the crow's nest and listen to my precious _Muse_." She sighed, her mind drifting for only a few moments before she brought herself back down to earth. Al nodded once again.

"Now, _Muse_ is a band in your time, right?"

She nodded, acknowledging his question. "Yes. The greatest band has ever been and ever will be." She sighed again, her mind reeling around the different songs that played continuously in a loop all at once in her head. "Maybe I should ask Jack if he'd let me up there…" She said to no one in particular, staring up at the high set crow's nest.

Al shrugged at her side. "Maybe you should ask him first. I could help you get up there, just in case…"

Bish looked at the young man from the corner of her eye, raising a brow in question. She almost wanted to grin wickedly at the offer he proposed, but held her composure. "Really?"

He nodded. "Only if you ask Jack permission. Otherwise, you won't be allowed."

She finally smiled, sincerely grateful at his offer. _Maybe this trip won't be half as bad on the way back…it IS a long way to the Caribbean from here… Might as well be in good company and take advantage of it. Not that I haven't…_

Bish chuckled. "Fine, but I want you to help me. I don't trust any of the other guys here and your brother is taking up Loopy's time for lessons."

Daring a glance upwards, she saw the wolf vigorously following both Li and Edward's examples with the different knots and she seemed to be even keeping even pace with their quick movements. She smiled at her friend's excited nature. Then turning back to Al, she changed her softhearted smile to a determined grin. "Come on, let's go ask Jack right now!"

"Now?" He questioned, surprised. She chuckled again.

"Yes, NOW. You think I'm going to wait until next week from Sunday or whatever tomorrow or today is?" Bubbling with laughter, she stood up and dragged Alphonse to his feet, dragging him to where she thought Jack would mostly likely be in his usual haunts upon the Black Pearl. Even though she couldn't see, he smiled softly to himself at the fiery spirited young woman and followed, allowing him to pull him along.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Don't forget to review, my little readers; I know you're there. I can see you through the computer screen. Think Freddy Krueger spooky and you've got me down...minus the psychotic nature and burn-mutilated skin. xD**


	23. Sketches

**Chapter Twenty-Two:  
Sketches**

**Reviewers: **

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Tiggeranddash**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Mae**

**Volital**

**Darkness-Chill**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**If anyone, ANYONE at all, is interested in how my stories progress, such as _Up is Down_, please, please, PLEASE, come take a look at my livejournal, located in the link below. It revolves around my stories here on , as well as future stories that are in the works. I may also be posting FULL CHAPTERS of UID in the near future, so, if you want to read it sooner, I'll most likely be posting it there, and then here later. :3**

**http : / / disturbedofmind . livejournal . com/ ((You know the drill of copy, paste and eliminate spaces))**

**Also, to Darkness: don't even worry about it! You're on vacation/out of town/ect... and it don't matter! Just so long as I hear from ya, I'm happy that you had a good time on your time away from the computer. ;D Don't worry about reviewing for previous chapters either; you don't have to if you don't feel like it, but it would be nice if you did. :3 **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_It is not necessary that you be wealthy or famous or a genius in order to fulfill your own destiny. All that is asked is that you use whatever gifts you have to the best of your ability.  
_**- Og Mandino, "**_**Acabar**_**"**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

…

"You went up in the crow's nest." It was a point blank statement. Lupin stared.

Bish nodded, proud of her own accomplishment at convincing Jack to let her go up into the crow's nest earlier…all she had to do was be on the lookout for land until the next shift and she had spotted none. Lupin continued to stare.

"You didn't molest him, did you?" Again, the "secret talk" Lupin kept up was obvious and Bish raised a brow, a smirk on her face.

"Do you really want to know? I could put so many unnecessary images in your fragile, innocent mind right now, it's not even funny."

There was a pause and Lupin discreetly glanced over Alphonse's way, who was sitting a bare minimum of a few feet away and she finally looked back at her friend, her face still a stony slate. "…Better yet, I think I'd rather remain oblivious to your actions." She finally answered. Bishquet grinned, reached over and patted Lupin on the head like some sort of pet or a child.

"Good. I'd rather not harm your mind any more than I already have; you're not at the stage of taint I wish I could enforce upon you, but I lack the proper tools. Unless you'd rather go ahead and bang a pirate, go your own way…" She waggled her delicately arched brows suggestively, her full lips tipped in a suggestive manner and Lupin forced herself to not smile in an attempt to regain her shattered pride by biting her lip.

"Stop that…" She said behind clenched teeth, her lips trembling with the wide grin they wanted to reveal. Bish snickered, knowing that the wolf's resolve was weak and sooner or later, would break out smiling. Ah, the joys of torturing people…it felt wonderful to feel the wolf squirm under her control once more. _Oh, yeah, I still got it._

"Or would you rather get down and dirty in the brig with Edward? You know you've got a little something-something for him. Not really my type, but he does look nice with that longer bit of hair…and those abs you could eat of off, I swear to God…" She glanced over at the oblivious elder Elric and Lupin surprisingly resisted the urge to look…for about five seconds.

Bish grinned at her own success again and then shifted her gaze towards Alphonse. Lupin finally turned back, not wanting to be caught staring. She spooned some more food into her mouth, chewing furiously on the cooking she had made for that night. She finally sighed.

"I just don't think I should be involved with anyone; it would complicate things too much. I mean, I should worry more about trying to keep us alive. We've got to get to Tia Dalma, but there's also Norrington on our tails and supposedly, we're to meet up in Tripoli. I remember…" She paused for a moment, noting Bish had stopped to give her full attention to the wolf. Lupin cleared her throat and lowered her voice, checking around herself and Bish to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "I remember him saying, in the bar in the middle of _Dead Man's Chest_…that he almost had the crew at Tripoli before a hurricane. I'm assuming, and this is merely speculation, that Jack slipped away ahead of the storm and made it to the Turkish prison, obviously. Norrington however…he tried and failed going through the hurricane, lost his fleet, and his commission when he reported back."

Bishquet frowned and suddenly felt less hungry. "Hurricane?" She asked quietly, looking at the sky nervously.

"Tripoli's still far away. It's in Libya; I checked. We've got a long way to go, hun. I don't like it anymore than you do, but I'd feel more comfortable sailing with Jack then anyone else in this time period, and NOT because he's one of the best damned pirates, either. He's a damned good sailor, too and probably knows the sea better'n Gibbs, even." She paused once more and patted her friend's hand affectionately, hoping the small consolation made her feel even a smidgen relaxed at this news.

"All we have to do is avoid Norrington at Tripoli, get the key drawing, and sail back to the Caribbean. It's not too hard. Just remember, Tia Dalma is at the end of all this, and if she can't help us personally, then she might know others who can. She's a sea goddess in disguise; she's probably gotten around enough to know other gods and goddesses."

Smiling meekly, Lupin finally coaxed her friend to smile as well and squeezed Bish's hand. "We'll get through this. I'm starting sword lessons in a few days, so maybe it'd be best if you learned too. Just in case, you know?"

Swallowing, Bish glanced around and noticed for the first time in a long time all the assorted weaponry each crewmember, minus themselves and the Elric brothers, had. Cutlasses, pistols and knives hung at the men's waists and tucked in their sashes. A flush of nervousness cleared away as quickly as it had come, replaced by a sense of adrenaline.

"So, we'll learn how to use weapons?"

"To initially protect ourselves, I'd assume. Jack doesn't believe in senseless killing, unless it has a cause behind it. Otherwise, he'd be against it. He doesn't have rape or murder under his name, remember?"

"No, I don't, but I get where he's coming from, at least. I'll ask him about it later, cause I seriously don't want to be caught without training if I have to fight with a sword or a gun." Bish made a face, but nodded, understanding in the very least.

"Pistol." Lupin corrected and Bish made another face, accompanied by the roll of the eyes.

"Whatever. Gun, pistol, same thing…" She grumbled.

"Not so. 'A musket is a musket, a pistol is a pistol, but neither are called guns.' A cannon, however, is called a gun in this century." Lupin remarked smartly and Bish resisted the urge greatly to smack her friend upside the head for being such a smartass. But, then again, this particular smartass was an expert in a sense, when it came to this time period out of the two of them and she'd have to take Lupin's word for it.

"Whatever. Just…warn me ahead of time when something big is coming, all right? I really don't feel comfortable all of a sudden, knowing that we're going to be up in Norrington's face when we get to Tripoli or wherever the hell it is we're going. I still blame you, by the way, for this whole mess. We could've gone to modern day Italy or Spain, even for your graduation present. Hell, I'd have gone to Japan, for all I care, but no. You had to have a sailing trip."

Lupin made a face this time and sighed, nodding. "Okay, okay, I get it. You're still mad at me; I'm sorry, I really am. But, I'll try to fix this mess, all right? I'm not exactly straightforward in my facts with this time period anymore; I threw out all my tenth grade notes, and I still stand by what I said a while ago that they could've helped us a lot more than my eleventh grade ones…"

Bish sighed this time and once again went back to eating, even though her food had turned cold rapidly over the time she and Lupin had been conversing. She really wished she had a microwave; she wanted to heat her food back up again, but she would have to grudgingly deal with this cold mess…

Turning back, she finally started in on a new subject; one that benefited the two of them more and relatively, they were both grateful at the change as they began to complain on college woes—even if Bish was the more experience college student and Lupin, barely even a beginner; probably not even that, seeing as she never officially started—, they still had fun jabbing at the system that wouldn't form for another two hundred or so years.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

A few more days was predicted before the next port in Cagliari. No signs of Norrington meant it was a good sign; they were only docking for two days, and would be relaying what supplies had been used up and when Lupin did her final recount of the food—minus the food that had rotted beyond edibility; she threw that out at Jack's orders—she declared that the food didn't need much replacing, except for a few spices here and there that would luckily found in the markets. Everyone else had relayed their own news, but Lupin deciding that the others' work weren't relevant enough for her to pay attention to.

Twirling around on the spot, she felt a cool Mediterranean wind whip about her and she reveled in the cooler levels it brought, stretching and arching her back like a cat. Her boots made a clunking sound as they thudded back down on the planks and she sauntered over to sit down, but stopped and pivoted back around. Her fingers itched to draw and she was suddenly in an artistic mood, the creativeness bursting from the seams.

A few minutes later, she came charging up and slowed, panting quietly at her rush, mind whirring and she saw Bish cast her a curious look, quietly organizing and fiddling around with First Aid box and the supplies within. Lupin cast a reassuring grin and shrugged, holding up her sketchbook. Bish shrugged back in reply and went back to rummaging through the box, mumbling to herself.

_What to draw, what to draw…_ She mused to herself, looking around before she spotted Mr. Cotton at the helm dutifully and she saw the parrot perfectly balanced on the older man's shoulder, staring out with those bright eyes, grinding its beak back and forth, side to side before scratching its head. _The parrot. Or maybe the parrot and Mr. Cotton both…_

Climbing the stairs up to the quarterdeck, she perched herself parallel to Mr. Cotton, who peered at her in silent curiosity as she sat on the railing, cocking her head to and fro, looking at the pirate in different angles, sitting on the side his parrot was perched on. She didn't have a camera—it had been destroyed from the seawater sometime after the storm—so her pencil would have to serve for capturing the people here. She wanted to draw, having purposely deprived herself, as much as it practically killed her so.

Finally, she began sketching, quick and precise marks on the paper, starting out with a basic anatomy sketch, as she always did. Mr. Cotton turned his head and peered at her once more and she looked up, sensing eyes on her. She smiled. "I'm just drawing, don't mind me. But try to stay still; I'm drawing the bird." She answered his questioning gaze. It was half-true, but she also wanted to draw him. It would be an interesting take when she finished.

An hour or so passed and Lupin only stopped once at the toll of the two o'clock bell and had went to make something quick for lunch and then came back, waiting for Mr. Cotton to take the helm once more, having been replaced with Gibbs. Nibbling on the cheese she had saved from turning completely bad and a hard piece of bread, she corrected mistakes and added shading based on memory, but otherwise didn't touch the drawing.

Absently over the time she was waiting, she began flipping through pictures she had done months before, even those from last year or the year before that, wincing at anatomical mistakes she had made. After she finished off her food, slowly, she finally felt someone watching her and she snapped her head up, cringing when she saw that it was Jack studying her silently, looking down at her sketchbook.

She hadn't heard him come up and she certainly didn't notice him until she turned her head. The beads on the right side of her face mutely bounced against her temple and cheek. She opened her mouth, gaping and closed it once more before summoning a few words of acknowledgement. "Oh…h-hi…I didn't see you there."

He nodded, but didn't seem to take any care of her recognition of her words. He motioned for the sketchbook, interest at the strange artwork in his eyes. "Let me see that…"

Nervously, she clutched at the sides of her sketchbook a little more tightly than she meant. "Erm…I don't…I mean, they're not really good, I mean…" She finally gave it to him and he took it, flipping through the pages, scanning over the different pictures and sometimes, even lyrics or quotes she associated within the artwork. Embarrassed, she shuffled her feet, saying nothing, but occasionally would sneak a peak at what picture the pirate was on. She wanted to groan. _Lovely, he's seeing all the crap I've done over the years. This…is so embarrassing._

He would often pause at certain pieces and read over the things, nodding to himself and flipping to the next page, mindful of the paper's delicacy if he turned it wrong. She fidgeted beside him and finally turned her attention to the surging waters gushing alongside the _Black Pearl_, following the currents with her eyes.

"Not half bad." He finally announced, snapping Lupin out of her reverie. Craning her neck, she turned and fidgeted once again, unable to find anything else more to do with herself before taking her sketchbook back. Slowly, she tried to allow confidence trickle back into her and cleared her throat.

"They're crap, I know…I'm not very good. Just don't tell Bish I said that; she hits me every time I disregard my own art…"

"It's not that yer not good, it's that you THINK yer not good. If you keep that in yer mind, you'll always think that yer less than what you really are. Savvy?"

Lupin found herself nodding automatically at his word and wanted to kick herself, but reflected on his words a little more while mutely agreeing. _Just nod and pretend to take in his words, just nod and pretend to take in his words…_ She finally concluded before the boredom on Jack's face let her know he wasn't convinced that she was convinced.

"You don't really believe me, do you?" He replied. Lupin blinked once before letting her face turn blank.

"Yes, I do. Why would you think that?"

"Because you've been nodding for near a minute when you should have stopped at the second or third nod." He answered dryly.

…_Aw, crap._

Glancing back at the helm, she saw that Cotton had once again regained his position back at the helm, in a practically identical position he had been in while she had been sketching the old man and his bird. Once again, she tried to rebuild her confidence, clearing her throat once more.

"Well, now, Captain, if you'll excuse me, my muse has returned and I can finish this drawing of mine to add to the collection that's been culminating in my sketchbook. Ta."

Unfortunately, Jack wasn't easily deterred and remained, and merely collapsed down beside her like he was one of the regular crewmates that just sat around. Lupin made her best effort to return to her drawing, but the fact that someone was watching only distracted her mind on the presence sitting next to her. Ten minutes of careful shading, smudging and as much finish touches as she could allow, Lupin closed the sketchbook with a snap and finally turned, confronting the silent pirate.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Actually…you can." He stated, lifting himself back up with about as much grace as a drunken man had…and Lupin suspected him to be about as sober as the other men. She snorted before he offered a hand to her and she took it, surprised at his strong grip before being pulled to her feet. Tucking the sketchbook under her arm, she waited before Jack continued, motioning for her to follow. She waved to Cotton and his parrot and she heard the parrot yell out a goodbye.

Lupin only hesitated when she saw that Jack wanted to discuss whatever it was he wanted to discuss in his cabin. Observing her through half-mast eyes, he motioned to the open door. "Ladies first."

Ushered in, she was curious as well as suspicious on a level as to what Jack wanted all of a sudden. Watching him as he sauntered to his respectable seat, he snatched up a glass bottle and took a long swig of it before glancing Lupin's way and offering her the bottle. She eyed it.

"Offering minors alcohol?" She asked dryly. He shrugged.

"Yer old enough to know when enough is enough." He answered and finally, Lupin took it and swished the contents around, not taking even a sip. She set her sketchbook down.

"So, you say I can help you. And what exactly is that you need helping with, Jack?" She finally asked, glancing over her shoulder towards the door behind her before back at the pirate captain. Lupin finally took a cautious drink of the bottle. She almost jumped and sputtered at the fire in her mouth, but hid it enough not to alarm. She handed back the bottle and swallowed to let the alcohol settle in her belly.

Jack reached over and took Lupin's sketchbook in his hands once more; flipping through the pictures at a more rapid pace and finally settled on the one Lupin had done of Cotton and his parrot. He tapped it with a finger, looking at her.

"What exactly inspired you to draw him? I'm curious."

_You're just leading up to the point with seemingly harmless small talk. Okay, I'll bite._ She thought wryly, finally shrugging. "Boredom, mostly. Plus, I thought it an interesting subject to add more realism to my portfolio. I mostly do those…cartoons you saw."

She winced at her own choice of words. 'Cartoon' isn't what she'd call her style and it hurt to call it that, but it was the best explanation and description she could call her artwork for Jack. Anime and manga didn't exist back in the 1700's, but they did have cartoons. It was the best she could do… Once again, he resulted to nodding and closed the book once more, setting it back down on the table. He turned back to the wolf. "I have a request, if it might not be much to ask…"

"You want me to draw something for you." Lupin summed up before he could say anything else. She stared point blank at him and he studied her before standing up.

"Not just something…"

"You?"

He turned to stare at her. Quick little thing, she was. She caught on, fast as lightning. She shrugged. "Sorry, I don't do free art. If you want to draw something for you, you gotta pay me." _You wanna play, I'll play. _

If there was one thing that annoyed her greatly was when people asked for free art, or when she read journals of artists she watched on DeviantArt who were asked to do free art, continuously, and had to finally talk about in on their journals. It wasn't an uncommon thing; she had received quite a few requests herself and of course, she turned them down. Some were understandable, others bitchy, whiny or just extremely rude, calling her unjust names and accusations.

Even if this was Captain Jack Sparrow, one of the best pirates in the Caribbean, she would not make any exceptions on her art; it was not for free…unless it was gift art, such as the sketch she had done for Bishquet. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shifted her weight, waiting. If there was one thing she prized above anything else, it was her art.

Jack tapped the sketchbook with his forefinger a few times. "And this?"

"That was simply out of boredom. He didn't request it; I just…drew. You asking me to draw something for you is very different. If you want art, you pay me a commission; it's as simple as that. I don't do free art." She stated calmly, without showing defiance, just a hint of irritation. She stopped for a moment before adding, "Why do you even want me to draw something for you? I'm sure that there are better artists out there than me that you could ask…"

Fidgeting slightly, she suddenly felt uncomfortable being asked of this request. _Bishie would hit me if she knew about this…_ She thought.

"Well…for one thing, never really had me portrait drawn afore, considering the unfortunate and inconvenient circumstances that I've attended to for the past…twelve or so years…an' you happen t' be so conveniently within reach to call upon yer services. If I knew o' this earlier, I would 'ave asked ye sooner." He stated at ease. Lupin didn't let her guard down and kept on her toes.

_Ah, simply asking to use talent more than the person. Not unheard of…but no go. I should've stopped drawing earlier…_ She mentally groaned; but what's done is done. She almost grinned at a sudden amusing thought. _What's next, you'll have Bish do your logs? She'd have fun with that, putting in all the big ol' words you love to use, Jack. Oh, God, I should tell her that._

"Okay, well, that's nice, but I don't do free art."

"Well, why not?" He inquired innocently, listlessly flopping the sketchbook around, as if it were nothing of interest any more, keeping his kohl-rimmed eyes on the wolf.

_Persistent… I forgot about that. Wait, no I didn't; I just wasn't paying attention. Bugger!_

"Because it's not what the artists of my time do; we don't do free art; we're commissioned—_**PAID**_—to draw to something for someone when they ask of it. I don't do free art and that's final." She felt like a defiant delinquent now, bordering on the edge of being grounded by a parental unit and the last thing she wanted to do was make Jack angry with her for acting like this. Plus…she felt it a little unfair, after all he's done for her and the others, AND the fact that she was acting like a disobedient child. She even had to wince at her own tone when she had implied the word 'paid'; it sounded quite bitchy of her.

Jack had settled back down in his seat, having collided and locked horns with Lupin's consistent efforts to elaborate her ethics on free and commissioned artwork. It finally dawned on Lupin that he was most likely toying with her; only a possibility, perhaps, but she felt stupid for not having caught on sooner. He must think of her like a kid who didn't know how most of the real world really worked. Jack took a long swig of his drink, immune to the fiery taste and sat it back down with a soft clunk, letting his fingers steeple together as he stretched out like a cat bathing in the sun, looking quite comfortable with himself. _Well, when you're captain, I suppose you got it good…_ She thought dryly.

"Then how about…I raise _your_ pay, as a bonus for the 'drawring', eh? What say you to that?"

"Your men would riot if they found out! They'd mutiny against that because I'm—!" She blurted, and then stopped herself from continuing the last bit. He raised a brow and flashed a small smile, the barest glint of gold protruding from the corners of his mouth.

"So you do pay attention to rules. That's good; I was beginning to worry. An' yer worries on this ship shouldn't be so; just because yer a woman doesn't mean ye can't do what a man can do. If a woman can work just as hard as any man, then a man can work any job that a woman can… Or, something like that." He affirmed and Lupin blinked stupidly before he continued. "An' yer right about them lot mutinying; not much trust can be issued to that group, no, but they're helping hands an' they make up a crew fer the ship an' that's exactly what I need right now."

He paused again, and Lupin swallowed, nodding and understanding. She didn't like Leech, Harper or most of the other group. Li and LeJon were all right, along with most of the original crew Jack had with him from the first…movie… Jack offered the bottle to the worried looking wolf, but she declined this time and began fingering an edge of her sketchbook.

"I'll pay you on a separate term off o' yer regular pay, as yer commission fer a portrait. We'll start soon after we leave the port o' Cagliari, after dinner's served. If you need anything: inks, paint, charcoal, parchment, let me know now so that I can provide it fer you before we leave port. Savvy?"

…

Basically, in Lupin's mind, all she heard was: _**NEW ART SUPPLIES, FOR FREE.**_

She dumbly nodded, her eyes misting over slightly at the prospect of new supplies before it clicked in that Jack wasn't exactly visiting a _Michael's: Arts and Crafts_ store when they stopped and made port. She wanted to swear terribly when that finally hit her, but held her tongue and swallowed, regaining herself. "Well…I could use some black inks, some charcoal and paper; not parchment. I once did something on parchment, and it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to." She finally said, smiling sheepishly and Jack nodded.

"Better yet…make a list o' what you think you need. I'll have an easier time narrowing it down." He sighed, and then made a shooing motion with his hand. Lupin took that as a hint that it was time for her to take her leave and she took her sketchbook, feeling nervous at this new prospect. Leaving calmly was one thing; scampering off like a fucked up retard on a sugar high was another as Lupin did just that, excitedly looking for her friend to relay what had just happened.

"Omigod, BISHQUET! BISHIIIIIEEEE!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	24. Continuing On

**Chapter Twenty-Three:  
Continuing On**

**Reviewers: **

**Darkness-Chill**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Volital**

**Tiggeranddash**

**Silentmoondemon**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_So it is that we must weather that dark time, the period of transformation when what is familiar has been taken away and the new richness is not yet ours._  
**- Ram Das**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Two days had passed after Lupin and Jack's agreement. Lupin told Bishquet when she found her, naturally, but she refrained from spreading it any farther than her friend, even though she wanted to slip it to the Elric brothers. But, she didn't consider it worthy of their time or relevant on how they were getting home, so kept it to herself, as did Bish.

And, to the wolf's joy, Bish wrote more often on her computer over the past few days, and Lupin figured she had a creative stroke writhing through her; just she had her artistic revelation. It was only natural to express great emotions in a form that a person was most suited. Plus…she loved reading Bish's work, thoroughly.

Now she was aloft with most of the crew, coaxing the black sails that were the _Pearl_'s traditional mark out of their slumbering bundles. The sheets yawned widely as the midday winds and breezes caught hold of them, urging the ship forward at a faster pace. Lupin peered out at the Mediterranean waters with a grin on her face, watching as a few dolphins flipped through the air and back into the sea not too far from the ship.

Flanked on either side were the Elric brothers and Al noticed the happy-go-lucky creatures first. "Brother, look at that!"

Lupin giggled and watched. Edward smiled.

"Yeah, dolphins. Maybe they'll come visit us for a while." He chuckled. With one last tug, he tied off the lines on the mainsail and began scuttling over towards the shrouds. Lupin followed and Al behind her.

When they were all down, the dolphins had indeed seen the ship and were now flying beside the speeding _Black Pearl_. Bish was standing near the bow of the ship, and Lupin planted herself next to the Hispanic woman, watching besides her friend. Bish was smiling to herself.

"Aren't they pretty? Loopy, what kind are they?" She asked. Lupin shrugged and looked at the creatures.

"I dunno. Maybe Bottlenose. I don't remember my marine biology too well anymore. I've slacked over the years." She laughed at her own stupidity and Bish shrugged in return.

"Oh well. They're still pretty. Look, look! That one flipped. Cute. And the baby, lookit the baby! Oh, it's swimming with its mom! That's just adorable."

Bishquet was enthralled at the animals, grinning at their acrobatic flips and twists. After a while, though, she finally shuffled away, announcing that she was inspired to write. Passing Marty on the way, he said, "Hey, you see them dolphins?"

She nodded. "Pretty cool. Lupin's watching them still. They're good at swimming fast with the ship."

"That's nice. Not my favorite animal though."

Bish paused at his answer and turned, staring. "Then…what IS your favorite animal?" She asked warily. He grinned.

"Shark."

"Oh…okay. I'm gonna go write…now…"

She shuddered when he turned away. Sharks were about as creepy as they were scary. So were spiders and snakes. _Ew, just, just…no. __**No.**_

Somehow, she found herself in the forecastle—which she was extremely good at finding now; in the beginning she got lost a couple times and would have to ask for help and it made her wonder how in the fuck does someone get lost on a SHIP—and in the cubby. Pulling out her laptop, she began to boot it up and had logged in when she heard someone clear their throat in a polite gesture. Blinking, she looked up and saw Alphonse, having pulled back the curtain to peer into the cubby.

He smiled when she noticed him and she returned the gesture, closing her laptop's lid partially. "Hi. Anything I can help you with?" She asked, motioning for him to come in and sit down. He did, settling next to her on Lupin's cot, careful not to disturb any of the wolf's belongings.

"I would just like to know when our next lessons would be, if that was all right with you." He answered. Bish tilted her head to the side and shrugged, glancing at her computer lying in her lap from the corner of her eye. For the past few weeks since Spain, she and Al had been holding Spanish lessons every so often, at least once a week, without a real designated time or day; it was just random selection most of the time. And, as a bonus, she sometimes learned a little French from the young man and it was a rather fine tradeoff between the two of them.

"I dunno. I was going to write right now, but I guess…I could hold it off for a little while."

He looked a little guilty at having disturbed her. "Well, we don't have to start now, we could wait…" He said and Bish rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry about it, God. I haven't even started; so don't act like it's the end of the world, you dork. Come on, let's go." She turned off her computer and set it aside, making sure to hide it under her blanket and stood, jerking her head off to the side.

"Come on, let's get going." She repeated.

"But—,"

"Boy, I will hurt you if you don't come and learn your Spanish, now come." She stated, a hint of a playful growl in her tone. Finally Al let a smile cross his features and he nodded, trailing after her. Leading him to their usual, private area, Bish took her usual seat and Alphonse across from her. She had been making the lessons progressively harder every time, and although there were some difficulties here and there, Bish had admitted she was thoroughly impressed at his speed.

And she did complain a few times on how she wasn't a very good teacher, considering she mostly chose words at random to translate, he didn't seem to mind. _I love how tolerant he is with this stuff. _

Thinking, Bish mentally ran over a list of the things she's covered over the past few weeks. Colors, shapes, animals and casually, it grew to the point where Al knew a few sentences in Spanish and could speak it quite well; it must pay off being fluent in other languages such as Italian or French. She sighed. French was a pretty language; graceful and very elegant, but some of the words were hard to pronounce. But, Al was patient when he was exchanging vocabulary with her and she was patient with him as well.

Finally, she found a reasonable amount to teach Alphonse and began relaying them first in English and then in Spanish, and he repeated, the syllables rolling off of his tongue naturally. Bish was still impressed at his prowess when it came to learning a new language, but he did say that he had learned much more quickly than his brother. She had to grin at that, seeing Ed struggling to learn a new language without making a true effort. Somehow, she could just picture that and it wasn't that hard, either.

After about an hour or so of relaying Spanish and French in a mixed sense, the two finally called it a good lesson. Bish sniffed the air hungrily, smiling. "Jesus, Lupin makes a good meal when she puts effort into it. And she puts seasoning in her food, she doesn't just cook it. But, I will admit, sadly, that my mom pawns her cooking. Plus, my mommy's adorable." She hadn't really stated this to Al, but was mostly thinking out loud but she didn't hide the fact that she enjoyed hearing him laugh at her absent comments.

"I'm sure your mother's cooking is very delicious. I just wish I could try it, at least once and know what you like." He said quietly. Bish sighed, nodding.

"Mmm. Yes, it's delicious. It is kind of too bad that you have to go back to your own time…I'd have lots of fun teaching you about the Internet, properly and show you a thing or two here and there where I live. And…you'd love Twinkie. Omigod, I miss her…she's a whore, but, given, she's MY whore."

He chuckled, and patted her shoulder consolingly. "Well, you can look forward to seeing everyone you love when you go home. It's just a few more weeks…"

"I know…but I wanna go home NOW. I feel filthy, disgusting and I want chocolate…and maybe a cigarette." She ignored the reproachful look Al gave her when she mentioned cigarettes.

"You shouldn't smoke, it's bad for you." He said, mindful of the mild glare he received in turn.

"It's not like I'm gonna smoke a whole carton; I just want one…but Lupin would probably attempt to harm me if I did. I swear to God, even on the computer, she gets all hyped up about it…" Bish grumbled moodily and Al let a small laugh bubble up. He once again laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"She's only looking out for your health. Be glad that she cares for you because it'd be very different if she didn't care at all."

Bish bobbed her head and finally nodded, smoothing her frazzled, tight ringlets, finger-combing through it a couple of times. Oh, God, she could not WAIT for a bath; that was definitely the FIRST thing she's going to do when they hit land: find a bathhouse and bathe. She winced at an especially stubborn gnarled nest and slowly combed through it, tugging every so often.

"True, I'd probably be pissed at her if she didn't care. She is like a sister to me, you know? And one of the few I really trust; a little crazy, a little rough around the edges, but she works just fine. And she just kinda…molds to different places. I'm still trying to find up and down here." She chuckled at the implied joke, and Al smiled, nodding as they continued to slowly stroll around the confines of the _Black Pearl_, but the smell of a cooking meal was overwhelming. He sniffed the air, noting how hungry he was.

"That's understandable…" He agreed before Bish suddenly turned around and started heading towards the forecastle, grumbling vehemently under her breath.

"Damn…hair…it is pure evil. It must be contained…I'm stealing Lupin's brush. I can never find mine, hang on." She said to Al. He walked silently beside her and waited when she dove into the cubby, rummaging around for a brush and finally popped her head out, somewhat containing the frizzy locks. He laughed; he couldn't help it.

She had a pout on her face that made her look adorable. Finally, she managed to tame her wild tresses back and threw the brush onto Lupin's little cot, shrugging as she bound her hair with a hair tie. "Ugh, I hate this; I've probably got so much dead hair hanging off of my head, it's not funny. I'm seriously thinking about just letting Loopy take a knife and slice it off; screw the pain. It'll be worth it."

He tilted his head to the side. "I like it long. It suits you."

She shrugged in way of response.

"I'm sure, it does, but it's dead hair…it's just…hanging there. It's bad and useless. Not much else to do with it, plus it's just getting in the way. Even if I don't have the proper tools, I shall try to keep up with my proper maintenance as best I can." Bish stated, nodding to herself. Al opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and closed his mouth, nodding.

They both paused at the sound of Lupin yelling that dinner was ready. Bish grinned at Alphonse and motioned towards the general direction the galley was. "Shall we?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Cagliari was within sights two days later, in the early dawn's gray, gold and pink horizon. The _Black Pearl_ sailed onward, almost hauntingly in a majestic manner and by midday, she pulled into the harbor. Everything since dawn had been cleaned and set in order, and a list of supplies were made ready a few days before, although it wasn't much. Some of the men even wondered why a stop was needed, but they didn't question their captain, as they felt obligated to.

Bishquet was very curious as well, and had even gone to Jack, asking what his men didn't. Of course, Jack didn't exactly answer her question directly, but vaguely mentioned gathering information and other irrelevant supplies that weren't really needed for the ship. Bish gathered he was talking about Lupin's art supplies.

Soon, by early afternoon, the permission to leave the _Pearl_ and into town was given out. The four teens had decided to trail around the city and soak in the scenery and to be on dry land for a few hours. Lupin, however, was the only one who had the vaguest grasp at Italian and Bish was closer than her; Italian was similar to Spanish, with its key differences. She fidgeted at the language when they first stepped into another non-English speaking community, but her eyes were bright with wonder.

She turned to Bish. "Okay, so…mission objective today is…?"

"Find a bathhouse."

"Right. And you know where one is, right?"

The Hispanic woman shook her head. "Does it look like I know Italian?" She asked bluntly and the wolf grinned sheepishly.

"We do." Ed interrupted. The two young women pivoted to look at the Elric brothers. Ed, characteristically had a cocky little grin screwed on his face, golden eyes holding a fiery warmth of their own. Al, however, had more reserve than his older brother and merely smiled, nodding in affirmation to Edward's statement.

"That's right, you do know it, huh? Then get yer asses up there and TRANSLATE. I don't know Italian, except for _grazie_ and _sí_. Move it!"

Lupin grabbed Ed and Al and pulled them forward ahead of her and Bishquet. She grinned. "Human shields, coming right up!"

"Oh, thanks a lot! You think I'm going to translate for you now!" Ed growled out and the wolf laughed. Al settled to walking beside Bish while Lupin teased his older brother.

"You'd better, or you won't get any food tonight, shorty! Now move it!"

"I'm taller than you!"

"Not by much, now hurry yer ass up!"

Bish rolled her eyes and sighed at the banter. Lupin was trudging across dangerously thin ice if she didn't watch it. Jabbing a finger against her friend's ribs, Lupin yelped and darted away, looking at whoever did that and relaxed for a split moment before pouting. She got the message clearly and sighed.

"All right, Ed, come on, I seriously need someone to help me. If you won't do it, I'm sure Alphonse will be a dear and gladly offer his services, _without_ an attitude." Lupin glanced at Al behind her as they continued up the cobblestone streets, people stopping to stare at the oddly dressed teens. He shrugged.

"If brother won't do it…" He offered and Ed groaned before whipping a hand around and grabbing her wrist, pulling her forward.

"Come on, let's just get this over with…" The former alchemist grumbled. Lupin grinned victoriously and trotted after him.

"Don't worry, it won't be as long as the one in Spain, so you'll have plenty of time to make it back to the _Pearl_ and sulk the day away." She chirruped cheerfully. Ed merely rolled his eyes and stopped a young woman with flawless dark olive skin, carrying a two-year old on her hip, wearing a dusty and worn, but still wearable, faded red dress.

Speaking quickly and quietly to the young woman, Lupin stared at how quickly Edward switched dialects, taken aback. He sighed and turned back, motioning for the other three to follow him. Lupin noted his still hadn't let go of his grip on her wrist.

"Well, now, I never thought I'd see the day I'd hear something pretty come out of your mouth." She said cautiously, smiling. Ed paused to look at the wolf, who only continued to smile at him. He snorted.

"I can think of about a dozen things that would harm your ears, so I'll spare the trouble of uttering them." He grunted.

"Brother…" Al muttered, eyeing his brother reproachfully. Ed ignored him.

Lupin rolled her eyes and Bish snorted. "Please, Ed, she's been hanging around with me for too long; what makes you believe that you've got the upper hand on MY colorful vocabulary?"

"Yeah, what she said." The wolf agreed. Ed rolled his eyes and tugged for Lupin to follow again. She sighed and resigned.

"Trust me, you don't want to know what I do." He muttered darkly, and from the tone he insinuated, the conversation was over.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After they had finally gotten everything purchased, found a bathhouse and bathed, then onto the ship, somehow, in some way, they found their way back to land and into a pub where Jack and his crew were residing in for the night. When Jack saw Lupin pinned to her friend's side, he motioned for the wolf to come over. Bish gave Lupin a gentle push, grinning at her.

"Go see what he wants and come back; I'm hungry, and I'm sure you'd like a night to relax from cooking." She said with a wink before returning to the conversation she was having with Alphonse. Edward watched her go and she peered over her shoulder, smiling sheepishly at him, rubbing her arm before stumbling over someone's leg. Regaining her balance, Lupin still felt wobbly, even after walking on dry land all day. _I must have looked drunk walking around today…or maybe people know I've been sailing around? I didn't LOOK drunk, did I?_ The funny thought vanished when she was at Jack's side. Next to him a voluptuous looking woman with dark, thick black hair and deeply tanned skin was leaning towards the pirate, speaking softly in a mixture of Italian and English.

He hushed her for a moment and look at Lupin square in the eyes. "You 'ave yer list, darlin'?"

She blinked stupidly for a moment before it clicked and she nodded, patting her jeans a few times before digging into her coat's pockets, pulling out a grubby piece of paper folded over, torn from one of her notebooks. He stared at the odd paper only for a moment, opened it and stared down at the list before nodding and tucking it away into his coat. "Very good, Miss Hawkins, I'll have Mr. Gibbs go along tomorrow mornin' an' gather yer requested supplies."

The wolf nodded and made to leave, but Jack called back. "Why don't you sit an' join us, luv? Plenty room here."

She paused at his invitation, and hid her affronted look from the angry eyes the woman that was sitting next to Jack was giving her. She almost wanted to glare right back and see what the woman would do, but held a cool demeanor and glanced back at where Bish and the others were sitting. Jack noted her stare and waved her off.

"Never mind, darlin'. Go an' sit with yer li'l friends. Make sure you tell the 'tenders that yer with me an' me crew; less hassle an' ye'll save more money that way. They tidy up the whole crew together on a single tab for taverns such as these."

Lupin almost heaved a sigh of relief, but instead smiled and nodded, keeping her gaze on Jack and not the woman whom he was sitting next to. Finally, she turned and made her way towards the people she felt most comfortable with, ignoring the greedy stares she received from Leech and his little crowd.

"What'd he want?" Bish asked immediately, raising a brow as she glanced at the woman sitting next to Jack before adding, "Because that woman did NOT like you standing over there. I swear, she looked ready to kill."

Lupin shrugged. "He just wanted a list of supplies he asked me to make a few days ago." She answered simply, noting the questioning gazes she got from Ed and Al. Bish nodded, just as a girl of twelve or thirteen came up, asking something in Italian. Lupin stared stupidly, feeling left quite left out that she didn't know any other language other than English, and broken bits of Japanese—hardly fit for any conversations, either.

Edward immediately responded, and the girl smiled, revealing a missing front tooth. She scampered off and Lupin looked at him. "What'd you say?" She asked, curious.

"Just ordering something for us to eat; I'm starving." Ed answered flatly, although there was a hint of a whine in his voice at the end. She snorted back laughter.

"And dear Lord knows you've got an appetite." She muttered. Bish snickered under her own breath. Ed glared at the two, but said nothing and Lupin patted him on the head. "Oh, cheer up, Ed; I'm just poking fun at you. I don't mean anything by it."

He grumbled something, but Lupin didn't quite catch what it was and decided to ignore it, patting him on the head again. She sometimes forgot that he was older than her, but the way he acted at times, she swore he was more her age or even younger…

She slumped in her chair rested her knees against the rickety wooden table, drawing her coat over her. Ed stared at her for a moment and she caught the stare. "What?"

He shrugged, shaking his head. Lupin grinned. "Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a shorty, but at least I'm travel size."

Bish laughed. "Very travel sized. You're smaller than me; there is a God."

Lupin rolled her eyes. _Riiiigght._

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She woke with a start, feeling something furry brush against her cheek. Something warbled next to her and Bish shrieked, causing Jack the Monkey to scream in return. Lupin rolled over in a start, mumbling something incoherent, but it sounded something like, "We're under attack!"

Turning groggy, but startling alert eyes around, she spotted the hopping mad monkey and the squealing, disgusting Bishquet. She pointed threateningly at the creature, and then at Lupin. "_**YOU**_! Get that motherfucking **THING**, out of here, _**NOW**_!"

Lupin stumbled and caught the monkey, who thrashed around in his captor's hands, and she rolled out of the cubby, holding the squealing creature at arm's length. A few of the crewmembers that had come back last night, had awoken to the Hispanic woman's screeching and the monkey's wild howls and were staring at the wolf carrying the cursed animal. She flashed a nervous smile at them.

"Nothing to see here, just getting rid of a pest." She laughed sheepishly before whispering fiercely to the animal, "Stop squirming or I'll cook you for dinner."

Jack stopped squirming and craned his head, baring his teeth at her before Lupin let him go as she reached the main deck. He dropped to the planks and scampered off rapidly, climbed the shrouds and hissed at Lupin. She bared her own teeth and hissed right back.

"Yeah, that's right, run off. You ever try to bite me, I'll bite you back, you got me?" She called out, shaking a fist at him. Turning around, she started, surprised at the presence that suddenly appeared behind her. "Oh, Jesus fucking Christ, don't DO that!"

An equally surprised Edward stood behind her, blinking away his shock, but he remained in a bristled state. Lupin backed away, panted twice with a hand over her chest and then she too blinked in surprise. "Oh, God…it's just you. Jesus…"

He raised a brow and waited for her to calm, relaxing ever slightly. She regained her composure soon and straightened, looking stilled once more. Ed glanced at the monkey, making a racket among the lines near the top mainsail. He frowned, gathering what must have happened.

"Rude awakening, I suppose?" He asked, a hint of a playful smirk suddenly tugging at the tip of his lips, just itching to be released. His eyes flashed with a warmth of their own and Lupin took in a deep breath, returned her attention to the real world from fantasy, and sighed, nodding.

"You have no idea. Bish screamed like a banshee or something. Sure as hell woke me up; the loudest alarm you'll ever get, I swear."

"Well, you can suck my big, fat hairy BALLS!" A disgruntled voice shouted. Lupin twitched and felt a shiver run up and down her spine as she turned to see a ruffled looking Bishquet, glaring heatedly at her behind her glasses. If looks could kill, Bish would fit Medusa's picture, just perfectly, what with all her tightly curled ringlets in an explosion of random arcs here and there. And a soft Mediterranean breeze only helped in making her hair bounce and flail like writhing snake bodies. Lupin almost grinned at the thought of telling Bish and grossing her out, but refrained from doing so when Bish came stomping over to her, poking her square on the collarbone.

"If you EVER bring that fucked up THING in the bedroom again, I swear to GOD, I will KILL YOU!" She hissed threateningly. Lupin's eyes widened in surprise and she held up her hands in surrender.

"Hey, I never brought him in! He must've crawled in or something, but I'm innocent on that account! I know better than to bring anything in there other than food!" She defended. Bish narrowed her eyes and stared down at her friend, who was at least a good inch or so shorter than the Hispanic woman. Finally she huffed.

"Fine. You're free to go this time, but if I ever catch that thing in there again, I WILL throw it overboard and you with it, if you get in my way." With that, Bish unceremoniously pounded back below decks, grumbling harshly under her breath. Replacing her, a startled Alphonse appeared on deck, staring after the cursing young woman he had just passed.

He looked to the wolf and his brother, who had wisely remained silent between the two young women's fierce exchange. Lupin looked between the two, opened her mouth to say something, anything really, but closed it and shook her head. Then she proceeded to moan. "I want coffee…"

She got a pat on the head as consolation, although she would have preferred a hug…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	25. Dancing in the Streets

**Chapter Twenty-Four:  
Dancing in the Streets**

**Reviewers: **

**Silentmoondemon**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Tiggeranddash**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**...Really, are you serious? (Glances at the review box) Only three? I thank those who reviewed, and glare at those who didn't. You know what you did; and unless you had a family member dying, a crisis at home...you were dying...your pet died or you were outta town, yeah. Come on; don't bail on me now. D: **

**I have a goal for you now; whoever gets the hundredth review gets a special mention (yay, italic names! :D) AND, you get to suggest a much-wanted plot device for a future chapter, and I'll make it fit in the story and make it happen. If I can't make it happen, then I'll do a one-shot dedicated to your review, but it has to be something related to _Up is Down_. I'll be doing this for every fifteeth and hundredth reviewer. Which means, reviewer 150 gets their chance after reviewer 100. **

**Pretty fun, huh? Now, who wants to review? :D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_I came here thinking I had to box with the world. Now I know I can dance with it.  
_**- VOBS Student**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The morning episode passed quickly enough and Lupin had fallen back asleep, only to wake up a few hours later, feeling even more wretchedly tired and achy then when she first woke up to Bish's screaming. She felt like she hadn't really gotten any sleep and in truth, she was half-right. She and the others hadn't left the tavern in which the crew and Jack were accommodating until around two in the morning.

And one of the reasons why the teens stayed out so late?

…Music, mostly. A few men had brought out some instruments and began to play in the tavern a lively tune that had the beautifully olive tanned women swirling their dirty, torn dresses or skirts and the men dancing with their women counterparts. It wasn't exactly _Muse_ or _Kelly Clarkson_ or anything, but the acoustics were well played and the tunes were jaunty and warm and…well, very _homely_. Although the people weren't exactly rich and they couldn't afford more spectacular garments, they were still colorful people, even behind a thinly veiled mask of dust and dirt and sweat from the day's work.

Even the children had gotten up to dance about. Some of the pirates had even joined, but most, like Jack, had sat out to watch and drink their alcoholic drinks with silent, regarding eyes. Bish and Al had seemed to be having fun, but Lupin and Ed both sat out, watching in a companionable silence before small conversation was brought up.

It hadn't been long until someone finally walked around and began asking those who were sitting out to dance—although, once again, most declined and remained sitting out—, including the wolf and Ed. But…Lupin had to turn to Ed for help when a young man asked her something. She had gotten the gist of it, but she didn't exactly understand.

Ed seemed to know and before she could even ask him, he had translated for her, although his tone was slightly clipped. Lupin had almost frowned at it, but remained on the subject. "He wanted to dance."

"Oh..." She had turned to the young man, smiling but shook her head, shrugging. "No…" She answered politely. He merely grinned at her and shrugged before bouncing off to ask another young woman, who looked either around or a little older than her. She readily accepted and took to the dusty floorboard to the acoustic, wordless music.

"How come you don't wanna dance?"

It had been an innocent enough question, but Lupin had paused at it for a long moment before answering, feeling that her answer was rather stupid and not really a good enough excuse, really. "Because…because I don't like dancing. I can't dance, really and I…I prefer to watch, you know? I'd rather be a wallflower." Her answer had come hesitantly and she stumbled over it, making her feel even more embarrassed. _That doesn't even sound like a good enough answer; more like a half-assed excuse…_

Ed, however, merely shrugged and sank back into his chair a little more and Lupin eyed the mug in his hand. "What's that?" She had asked, a little more than suspicious. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He didn't answer verbally, but it was answer enough and Lupin dropped the subject almost immediately, sipping her water.

It hadn't been long before midnight rolled around the corner and passed. The hours blended into one another as the music played, passing time and around two or so, the four teens finally left the tavern and down the windy, cobblestone and dirt roads and through the maze of compressed buildings, true to their Italian roots. Even in the dark, both the young women admired the structure of the buildings, amazed and awed at the labyrinthine paths.

Although…

Lupin had glanced at Edward on their way back and noticed the slight misstep in his stride and couldn't help but snicker. _Either he's buzzed or he's drunk and trying not to show it. Oh, my fucking God…_

Al and Bish were flushed in the face from dancing to the instruments earlier, laughing it up about the night and only when Lupin had heard her name did she vaguely participate, keeping an eye on the elder Elric brother. It had actually been very amusing, and only once had to save Ed from stumbling into a wall.

It had been a relief to collapse into blissful sleep but now it was hell, being as stiff and throbbing as she was now.

Trying to stretch it out now only resulted in inflexible, unfocused results, so the wolf finally collapsed on the deck and curled up under the Mediterranean sun, pouting. "I hurt and I don't like it…" She mumbled. _But it's a relief to be clean. Oh, God, that bath felt good…I want another…_

Amongst her musing, she didn't notice her friend sneak up behind her until the very last second, where she got a face full of "BOO!"

This undoubtedly resulted in screams of terror, shrieking curses and a few smacks here and there. Bish, however, came out extremely proud of herself, grinning ear to ear at her success. It had been a random act of mild childish terrorism towards her friend, but in all honesty, she was bored out of her skull and scaring the shit out of someone had appealed to her. She cackled when Lupin had jumped and hid behind Ed, pulling him in front of her.

"Human shield! Thanks, Ed!"

Edward blinked, momentarily confused as Lupin hid behind him, hands gripping his shoulders. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Oh, thanks a lot." He grunted.

She grinned. "You're welcome—Gah! Traitor!"

"Sorry, I don't do well with being used as a shield." Lupin stumbled forward before wheeling around, only to lose her balance and fall on her rump on the deck. She glared up at Edward. "Jerk."

He shrugged and Bishquet helped the wolf up. "It was funny while it lasted, but I think I see a hung over pirate making his way towards you. Look alive."

Indeed, a disgruntled looking Gibbs was making his way up the gangplank and across the deck with a burlap sack tightly clenched in his fist, the other holding his head gingerly before handing the sack to her without warning. "Something the Cap'n had me pick up in town fer ye; something about art supplies an' whatnot… Oh, bloody headache…" He grumbled.

Bish cleared her throat and the grizzled sailor winced, no doubt the sound doubled tenfold due to his slowly reducing alcohol-induced mind. "Aye, lass?" He sighed.

"Just drink lots of water, you're mostly dehydrated and that's probably why you're also very thirsty right now. It'll help." She instructed and for a moment, he stared at her before turning, nodding at her explanation. Bish rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks for being appreciative. Grumpy old man…"

Lupin, however, did not pay attention to the exchange and was busy rummaging through the sack, pulling out contents such as charcoal, old school style, and other drawing instruments here and there. She was squealing giddily, rubbing her cheek against a bottle of ink, moaning in pleasure. "Omigod, Omigod, Omigod! Indian ink! I love this stuff, it's sooo dark and perfect for black and white toned pictures, where did he get it? How, is more like it, we're in Italy, not India, Omigod!"

Bish raised a brow before snatching up the bottle out of Lupin's hands. The wolf snapped out of her reverie, looking up at Bishquet, who held it high up above Lupin. She gave her friend a mild warning glare.

"Calm down, or I'm smashing it. You're sounding like a real idiot right now and I'm very thin on patience at the moment." She stated calmly. Lupin sat quite still and finally nodded obediently, putting everything carefully back into the sack and Bish handed her the bottle. "I mean it, no more squealing. You sounded like a retarded fangirl or something. Half of me was disgusted and the other terrified. Don't do it again."

Lupin nodded again, wary of snapping her friend's patience and igniting the Hispanic woman's wrath. She had once suffered it and it had been over MSN. It was scary and she didn't want to be on the burning end of the stick, no. Ed chose to wisely stay out of the affairs of the two strange young women before clearing his throat, looking expectantly towards Lupin.

"Hey, I'm kinda hungry…think you could help me find something to scrounge up?"

The wolf raised a questionable brow at him, tempted to smirk. She had forbidden anyone from taking anything from the galley unless she stated otherwise and she was quick to recount on what had been taken. It was wise that Ed was asking rather than risking getting caught. She finally nodded. "Lemme put away this stuff first. I'll meet up with you."

Five minutes later, she had successfully put away her new art supplies—however different they were from her more familiar ones, she'd just have to adapt, she knew that much—and met with Ed in the galley, her iPod blasting Amy Lee's powerful voice to _Call Me When You're Sober_. Pausing the song, however much she didn't want to, she smiled at the elder Elric and began to rummage for a quick, small meal to compensate for everyone quickly. She knew almost on the dot that Ed did get 'cranky' whenever he was getting hungry and it was amusing, very amusing indeed. She could play wits with him and win whenever he was like that.

"You know…you had a bit to drink last night…" Lupin started and she heard a groan from behind her.

"Please…don't start up on that…" He whined and she snickered.

"Mmm…considering I had to save you from 'death by wall', I don't think so. You could've just had water, you know."

"They GAVE me the alcohol right off the bat, they didn't even care…it's not my fault. And what do you mean 'death by wall'?"

"Uh-huh…you almost ran into a wall on our way back. I could've let you, but I was nice." She chuckled before handing him a small dish of quickly cut up freshly cooked and salted meat and half an apple. "Eat it or I will."

He narrowed his eyes for a moment before chomping into the apple purposely, and the wolf grinned before pulling up the other slice and biting into it. She flipped back on _Evanescence_, listening to the song with a peaceful contentedness about her, humming quietly to herself.

He listened in silence, practically inhaling his food, but still looked hungry. Lupin sighed and picked at her food before handing it to him, having stopped humming after the first few bites. He eyed it. "You sure?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't be giving it to you if I wasn't, now would I?" She replied wittily before adding, "Tell me more about Amestris. I wanna know what the former Fullmetal did in his ventures."

She grinned. She could actually call him by his former alchemist title without being reprimanded for doing so or getting in trouble now; the first few times had been extremely awkward, but by now Ed was used to it. Although, Lupin knew he was being wary and cautious and also extremely picky on what he told her. It was annoying and dangerous at the same time; she was treading on thin ice enough as it is whenever she spoke to him about his and Alphonse's world, but…she had a curiosity, a want to learn more about his world through HIS perspective. It was interesting to hear it from the person who had experienced what he and his brother had.

Edward frowned a little. "I thought I told you to stop calling me that." He muttered, although he knew she wouldn't listen. She seemed to have a problem with forced authority; something he saw somewhat in himself, only she was wittier in her ways of showing it. He had been brutally upfront on his ends. He sighed.

"Not unless you tell me something—,"

"About my time." She finished. He raised a brow at her cheeky grin. "Yeah, yeah, 'equivalent exchange.' I got it, don't worry."

"Smart ass." He remarked. She chuckled.

"Better than being a dumb or an unwise one." She retaliated.

"Ah, the grasshopper learns. I was getting worried there for a while now."

"Hey!" She pouted. Ha. He got the last laugh and he savored it. It seemed that they both were at a standstill when it came to getting the last and final word with each other; it was almost like a game of smarts. He had to admit, she was quite the sharp one and caught on then most would have. "God help us. We're in the hands of engineers." She snorted and Ed rolled his eyes.

"Now, was that yours or one of your movie quotes you're always spouting off?"

"Movie quote, Ian Malcolm of _Jurassic Park_. GOD, I love that movie…it…was the reason I fell in love with dinosaurs. PLUS, I read that book by Michael Crichton when I was in seventh grade. It's considered a high school level book, and even THEN, people didn't understand it. Bishquet and I…are one of the intelligently rare ones in our time. Honestly." Lupin shrugged, giving off a little sigh at the mention of her home. Although it still hurt, it was easier to cope with now that she talked with someone about it. In fact, she actually thanked her lucky stars that Ed was making her exchange stories of her time with stories from his world. It was an even and equal tradeoff…even if Lupin knew Ed was holding back a lot, she didn't mind or press him.

He sighed and stood, cracking his back and Lupin frowned when she heard the telltale creak of his automail. "You're sounding very…squeaky in the joints."

Ed looked to Lupin and matched her expression, moving his arm and his leg. His brow creased with deeper lines. "Yeah…I know. It's not like I can just pick up a can of oil in this time period, though. I'd have to mine for it. What a pain…" He mumbled, disheartened. Lupin patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"Well, this trip should be over in just a few more weeks."

"You sound so sure." He stated. Lupin quickly thought up a lie to cover her tracks.

"I'm not. I just have…a feeling. I have a feeling this trip will be over shortly." She paused. "Do you think your limbs can handle that?"

Ed's lips twitched ever so slightly and he finally shrugged. "I guess. I don't want to risk getting soaked by the seawater though; who knows what it could do to the wiring and joints…and it's not like I can just go back and get a new arm and leg from Winry…"

The wolf paused at Ed's silent reverie and couldn't help but look away, embarrassed slightly at the subject before clearing her throat, patting him on the shoulder once more. "Er, well, then I wouldn't suggest taking a swim then; I don't think you'd float very well." She chuckled, trying to conjure up a way to pull the subject out of the rut.

Faintly, she saw a smile trace the former alchemist's lips and he let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, right, steel isn't exactly something that's meant to float unless it's engineered into a boat."

Lupin felt a pause fall over them once more before a thought occurred to her as she nibbled on the remnants of her apple. "Mmm…that's true. If your limbs were made of titanium, the metal would be considerably lighter and I don't think it would have stunted your growth as dramatically as it had with the steel. You probably would've been much taller if the metal base was different." She said absently, earning a soft growl in return. She grinned impishly. "I'm only stating the facts, Ed; titanium has been proven to be very lightweight, yet extremely durable."

"Yeah, yeah, smart ass, keep it up. See how far it takes you." He grunted. She continued to grin as she hopped off of the crate she had been perched upon, following him out.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Ah, last night had been fabulous. Well, the whole day had been, but that wasn't the point. The point was she had gotten a well-deserved bath, cleaned out the rat's nest she called her hair, and had a nice night out, ON LAND, and was dry for most of the day. It had been another definite highlight of the trip and so far, there was no sign of Norrington-what's-his-face or his little armada.

And even if it wasn't her mama's home cooking or cooked from Spumoni's or anything, the food had been pretty delicious—rich in taste and luscious in scent. The small family-run tavern was cute and the music, although 'primitive' for her tastes was catchy and warm. It had actually made her want to get up and dance with the colorful skirts and tanned faces, but had reserved herself, surprisingly. She had sat at the table along with Lupin, Alphonse and Edward long after she had finished her meal and the plate had been taken away. A few times, she joined into the festive of clapping along with those sitting or standing around, watching those dance and it seemed like this was a regular occurrence in this place.

Finally, after a while, a hand tapped her shoulder and she looked, smiling warmly when she saw it was Alphonse. He had smiled charmingly at her, offering a hand. "Care to dance?"

Without thinking, or actually, not caring to look, she swept herself up to her feet, almost wishing she had something else on than her jeans, sandals and Muse concert t-shirt. She knew she must have looked extremely odd, and stuck out like a sore thumb, but for now, it was all she had to wear, besides the other clothing she had in the suitcase she and Lupin were sharing. Bish grinned, even though she didn't know the steps to the dance. Al seemed to know a little and helped her through until she could handle it on her own in a fashionable manner.

And she had to admit…Al was very suave. She figured it must have been because he was used to calculating his moves whenever using martial arts, that dancing wasn't all too far off; it was just a different beat. It had been a very fun night, although she had noticed a few hours after the dancing, Jack had slipped off with a woman wrapped around his waist, listening to him talk and whatnot, his hands flailing in the air at his exuberant tale—whichever one he chose to tell her.

It hadn't taken her very long to return her attention back to the young man whom she had a rekindling affection towards and the dancing continued on. She wasn't all too surprised that Lupin had sat out; she wasn't that much of a joyful dancer—hardly ever was, and probably never will; she was more of one to observe and enjoy watching than commit to dance—and of course…she had also not been so surprised that Ed sat out as well. He looked rather sour, and the bright gleam in his eyes made Bish suspicious when she and Al had sat out a few times for rest. Although she never said anything, she had a growing suspicion that the elder Elric was having more than just an innocent drink in his cup.

Of course, she had played ignorant, perfectly content in allowing Lupin to keep an eye on Edward; she was more than capable in keeping him on his feet and off his ass, so she didn't say anything, but did keep an inconspicuous eye on the two, just in case. Al seemed to notice, but he too, seemed to keep it to himself, suspecting the wolf would be able to help. She had to grin at similar patterns of thinking, even if it was only her own speculation.

And now, even though she had been able to sleep in, even after the whole 'Monkey in the Cubby' affair, she was still bone-tired. She moaned and curled up in the shade, looking around the deck. It was practically deserted, except for Lupin, who was tying knots with Al and Ed near the bow, sitting atop a barrel, her legs crossed like a child. She sighed and clambered slowly to her feet, twisting her body around a little; satisfied at the smack crick-cracks her back made.

It was midday, and she wasn't all too hungry. She had noticed now how much her appetite had decreased as of lately, and she was beginning to worry and wonder if it were stress that was getting under her skin. She shook her head at the thought and made her way across the deck, stalking down the steps that led below deck, retreating into the cooler confines of the ship, saved from the sweltering heat. She honestly didn't know how Lupin or anyone dealt with this heat; she was melting! Oh, how she wished for the colder weather…even the Atlantic in its summer peak wasn't this bad! She couldn't wait to get back; she didn't like the Mediterranean in its heat wave…

She found herself back in the cubby. She reveled in how much more space she had now that the boys were out, but it wasn't too terrible; at least the wolf hadn't decided to migrate to somewhere else. It made her somewhat comforted that someone was still sticking around.

_Strangers stick together in a strange place…_ She mused silently to herself. She sighed. She wanted to watch something and thanks to Lupin's little…adaptor thingy, she could at least charge her laptop, even way out here, in the middle of the boondocks, unbelievably primitive time period. Oh, but the downfall, it didn't last long enough. The battery always drained too quickly, lasting only up to maybe…five hours. Shorter than what she's used to staying on the computer. Now she's limited herself to just charging up her iPod on the laptop, writing tidbits for her stories, or keeping a journal log on her computer to rant when she didn't feel like talking to people or when it felt convenient to just…write.

Booting up said computer, Bish waited through its usual startup programming, and settled into a comfortable position. She felt…like watching a movie. She had a selection on her laptop, no problem. _House_, _10 Things I Hate About You_, _The Princess Bride_ and other few other choice movies, she finally settled on _10 Things I Hate About You_. She just felt like passing time, nothing special. She didn't feel all too inspired to write, she didn't feel like drawing and watching a movie seemed so enticing; she hadn't watched much of anything since she and Lupin and the boys watched _House_ a few weeks back.

She watched the movie for about twenty minutes, undisturbed, but paused it when she heard the telltale creaking of someone coming closer. She hitched her breath, closed the top of the computer just as the person stopped before the cubby curtain.

"Bish?"

Bishquet paused, blinked. It was Alphonse. She sighed in relief. She and Lupin had come to an agreement; show as little technology from their time period as possible around the crew. Ed and Al were okay, considering they were closer to hers and Lupin's time period than, say, Jack or Mr. Gibbs. It was considerably safer around the Elric brothers than the pirates; she definitely had to agree on.

"Yes?" She finally answered back, catching herself early before she let the silence drag on longer than necessary.

The curtain pulled back and Al's smiling face appeared.

"So this is where you were hiding. I thought so." He commented. Bish shrugged.

"Hiding? Who ever said I was hiding? I came down here 'cuz it's cooler down here." She replied easily before motioning for him to sit.

He complied and settled next to her, glancing at her laptop.

"I was just watching a movie. I was bored." She answered. He smiled, understanding.

"Well, until now, brother and I was helping Lupin with her knots. She's pretty quick. I could teach you sometime, if you're interested."

Bish bobbed her head, considering her options before finally shrugging.

"I dunno. Sure, maybe." She agreed. Al glanced back at the laptop.

"Were you watching _House_?" He inquired, polite as can be. She laughed. She couldn't help it; she loved how different he was from his brother, how extreme their personalities diverged from one another.

Edward was hotheaded, easily angered and seemed to never let anyone help him at all, despite others good intentions. He definitely needed to cool down, in Bish's opinion, but she had to admit, he at least TRIED to approach problems systematically and on a slight level of maturity. He, however, counted on brute force instead of using words to get through to his answers.

Alphonse however…he was cool, calm, collected and analyzed the finer details. Plus, he seemed to know how to talk to anyone and everyone, preferring non-violent negotiations, as opposed to his brother's 'charming' methods. He even seemed to be able to cool down Lupin when she got snappish; it was almost like he could charm rust off of iron. In a way, she was reminded of a more refined Jack, although Al didn't seem enticed at drinking or womanizing like the pirate. She was only slightly reminded, in the manner of how they approached situations. That was as far as the similarities came.

Bish finally shook her head, smiling sincerely at his inquiry.

"No, I'm watching a movie called _10 Things I Hate About You_. Do you want to watch with me?"

He paused, considering the offer, glancing up at the wooden planked ceiling before returning Bish's gaze, nodding. "Sure. I'd like that. What's it about?"

"Well, it's twenty minutes into the movie…"

"Oh…" His smile faltered a little, but Bish waved it off.

"Don't worry, I don't mind starting over. You see, if it were an hour into the movie, I'd probably just let you figure it out on your own, but I'm feeling nice, so I'll start it over. Don't worry about it, seriously. It's kind of a chick flick—a more girlish type of movie—but I think you'd at least appreciate the story more than anything."

Flipping back the lid of her computer over, she moved the arrow around and found the cursor to restart the movie and moved the little bar over to the far left. Pictures sped backwards until a black screen showed up. She hit 'Full Screen' and hit play.

"Now all we need is popcorn and we'd be set, but this'll have to do for now." Bish mused, grinning jokingly and Al settled in close by, his shoulder brushing closely against Bish's and she finally just set the laptop on half his lap, snuggling against him. She felt him stiffen in surprise and she rolled her eyes as music played from the speakers, leading into the intro of the movie. "Oh, stop it, just sit back and relax."

He blinked but slowly, she felt him ease up and finally relax. Bish smiled. It felt nice to just relax and it felt really nice to relax around someone as good looking as the young man she was snuggling up against. Ah, life was good right now… She wouldn't have traded it for anything…

Well…

Except for maybe shampoo…and deodorant. And perhaps a candy bar or some ice cream.

Other than that…life was good.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The crew had come back, gracelessly, Lupin noted with the grit of her teeth. Loud, obnoxiously so and she was starting to get ticked off at every little thing. She didn't really know why, or care, all she wanted to do was just go to bed now. Who knew that boredom could make you so entirely drained? Clomping down the stairs at a steady pace, Lupin weaved her way towards the cubby, feeling more and more anxious to just collapse into a deep, blissful sleep.

But, the moment she ripped the curtains away, she stilled and blinked in the dimmed lighting. And she chuckled, making a soft 'Aw' sound at the scene she just happened to stumble upon. Suddenly her bad mood seemed to just dissipate and was left forgotten.

Both her friend and Al were curled up on the cots, Bish's laptop lying half in Bish's lap and the other in Al's. The screen was dark, so she assumed it went into hibernation. She frowned, knowing it was only draining its battery. Nudging herself inside, she quickly pulled the computer up into her hands, quickly turned it off and snapped it shut, setting it near her stuff; it would've been a pain to lean over the two JUST to put it away, so this option proved much easier.

Turning, Lupin closed the curtain and snickered. Oh well. If Al stole her cot, she didn't care; she'll just steal his hammock. All's fair…

Well, it seemed like that until Ed came through, looking more than disgruntled. He spotted Lupin and she froze as he came over, his steps reminding her like a jungle cat stalking its prey. He didn't exactly looked pissed off, but he also wasn't exactly in a 'happy-go-lucky' mood, either.

"Have you seen Alphonse? I can't find him anywhere."

Lupin sighed and shrugged. "He stole my cot watching a movie with Bish on her laptop. He's asleep." She replied simply. Ed's eyes flickered towards the curtain, but before he could make a move, Lupin grabbed hold of his right arm, keeping him back with a little grin on her face.

"Don't worry about it, let him sleep. I'll just steal his hammock. Leave 'em be." She said, stifling down his protests. He grunted and swept his eyes towards the cubby once more, back at Lupin and finally sighed.

"…Fine. I guess one night won't make much of a difference." He grumbled moodily. Lupin tugged at his ponytail hanging loosely over his shoulder. He flinched, but she continued to grin.

"Oh, quit being so mellow dramatic, Ponytail Boy. It's just Bish; he could be spooning with someone else."

He gave a quizzical look at her before catching on without needing to ask and made a face at the little name she had given him. He grunted again. Lupin waited and he turned, going towards his own hammock. She blinked and looked around before Ed jabbed a thumb towards one next to him. "That's Al's. Don't fall over, I'm not helping you up."

"Tch. Gee, thanks, I think I'll manage without the help." She rolled her eyes before glancing back at the curtains. She laughed under her breath before stopping besides Al's cot. She blinked. _…How the hell do I stay in this thing now? _

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Don't forget the review goal and the reward if you are review 100. Review if you want that future plot device/one-shot dedicated in your name! :D**


	26. Sores

**Chapter Twenty-Five:  
Sores**

**Reviewers: **

**Volital**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Aaron**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Tiggeranddash**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**KageArai**

**Keiyou**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Aaaand, reviewer 100 is… Kanika! Darlin', you get to request something for a future chapter, OR, a one-shot related for **_**Up is Down**_**! :D Take your pick, hun! **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_There is more to life than increasing its speed.  
_**- Ghandi**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The ship had set sail before breakfast was even served. The men were quick to free the bound black sails and once again they flared and swelled with winds as one of the crew took control of the helm. One good sign, Mr. Gibbs cheerfully stated when they were free of port, was that Norrington was not within sight, and neither was his fleet. The winds were strong, the sea was in their favor and they were on their way. Bish pulled back her hair, tying it with a leather cord she had found, knotting it tightly so that it wouldn't come loose and threw her longer-than-usual hair over her shoulder. She groaned.

What she wouldn't give for at least some shampoo gel and some conditioner; at least it would _somewhat_ contain this evil frizz she had long ago come to terms as her hair. What she also wouldn't give for a hair straightener; it would at least help her contain her hair in a much more manageable fashion. She tugged at a strand again, pouting.

"I want this _cut_, dammit…" She muttered, plucking at a horrible bundle of dead split ends. "There's a difference between archaeology and this. At least with being an archaeologist I can go into a town and take a bath when I need one. This is just ridiculous. I'm meant for digging and finding new discoveries, not tying ropes into knots."

A chuckle caught her attention and she turned to look over at the elder Elric. "I'm sure you'd make a great scientist, Bish. You seem to have a pretty good attitude towards your specified subject." He said in a light tone.

Bish raised a brow. "Do NOT even get me started! I can go on about the delicious Mayan ruins; the Incan temples and I've got a butt-load of serious, hardcore hands-on knowledge and experience. I've even dragged Lupin to one of our fake digging sites. I'd probably whip your ass at archaeology, so don't start with me." She defended, but she couldn't hide the grin, even as Ed held up his hands in truce. Oh yes. She's much more knowledgeable and experience than three years prior, much more. It was amazing how far she had come, but she had very much so made it into CSUN and showed that she could take the heat and keep up with the curriculum. Lupin had been proud of course, cheering her friend on. It was fun, but the tests and the exams had been a difficult priority to overcome.

All those hardcore study sessions, sometimes even sleepless nights of studying… Yes, it had been worth it so far…but now? What about now? Was time moving just as regularly as it had been here? Or did it freeze or stop when she and Lupin, and Ed and Al came here? It all didn't make any sense, and she wished she could know how her family was doing; her parents and sister must be so worried if all these months had been in equal unison with hers and Lupin's time. It must be so hard…

She sighed. Ed looked over his shoulder before sidling up to sit next to Bishquet, escaping the midday heat that slowly crawling upwards in degrees under the shade.

"Tell me what you learned in school. I'm interested."

"I dunno where to start. It's a lot to know."

"Entertain me; I'm listening." He chuckled. It was nice to just sit and talk; it was relief from the work, but it was also fascinating to know what's the come in the future. Bish glanced at him from the corner of her eye before shrugging.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you. It's a lot of information to take in. Tell me what you want to hear, so I don't go rambling, though."

Ed shrugged this time. "Eh…basics first, I suppose. Gotta crawl before you learn to walk and all that…"

Bish sat up a little straighter, curling her legs up and wrapping her arms around her knees. Oh, boy, this was going to be a while, but she could already feel the inner-archaeologist inside of her bubbling, brimming with enthusiastic energy.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It burned to move, but she kept up the with the rhythm, keeping her breathing regular, if not forced, as she continued her workout, music playing in her ears with a steady, hypnotic beat. It wasn't until halfway through the song, she finally let herself hang limp upside down, panting, trying to ease the fire in her torso by breathing as slowly and shallowly as she could before slowly taking her legs out of their trappings. Carefully, gingerly, she lowered herself to the ground, wincing at the throbbing pulse her calves and ankles made. She stumbled before lowering herself down, propping her left leg over her other thigh, examining the back of her ankles. She winced again.

Shallow cuts, but they stung like fire. She inhaled sharply and checked the other one. Ew…it was same as the other, but not as bad as her left. Lupin groaned and flopped onto her back, catching her breath, inhaling more deeply now as she continued for another minute or so, hand unconsciously splayed over her exposed belly. It was too hot to wear the only pair of sweatpants she had with her and down here, so she was only wearing a sports bra and track shorts. Sighing, as if it were a final statement, Lupin propped herself back up, letting out a loud and abrupt exhale, taking out her earphones. Her ears ached from the long period of time of having them in and letting the lobes rest for a few minutes felt good.

However, her break was short-lived at an abrupt and purposefully loud cleared throat. She stiffened and whirled around, eyes sharp and alert. Even if it took her a moment to figure out where it had come from, and an additional few moments to adjust to the lighting, she wasn't exactly stupid to know Al's voice when she heard it.

The younger Elric made himself known and stepped into the lighting, grinning somewhat sheepishly at her, rubbing the back of his head. Lupin relaxed almost immediately, feeling calmer, just by being around the young man and she flopped right on down again, sighing in relief.

"Oh…it's just you…" She murmured, laughing a little. If it had been anyone else, mostly the crew, she would have been more peeved than embarrassed at being walked in on when she was working out.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude, I just—,"

"Save the excuses, I don't give a damn. I mean, I don't mind you coming down here; it's not like I own the place, I don't control the sublevels." She added hastily to keep herself from sounding stupid. He smiled again, reassured. He then noticed the thin, red band around her ankles and his smile faltered slightly.

"You're ankles…"

Lupin looked down at her feet, wriggled them, and then looked back at Al, waving it off. "It's nothing. I'll clean it up, I'll be fine, don't worry. But I'd better do it in secret or Bish will kill me. I swear, she reminds me of this character from a cartoon I like called Ratchet…"

She waved her hand continuously at his worrisome nature and propped herself up, even though now that her body was slowly growing accustomed to relaxing, her back, thigh and calf muscles screamed in protest from the sudden and quick motion. She heaved another loud breath before pulling herself up onto her feet, feeling strength slowly trickle back. But, it didn't stop her from feeling a little wobbly and achy, nonetheless.

Al frowned slightly, but kept back at Lupin's sharp eyes, even when he knew she was only trying to keep him from worrying. She smiled again. "Just trying to keep myself from getting out of shape. It's dangerous during these times…"

He nodded. "They must be. I don't really know much about this time period, but…I'd like to learn a little bit more. And…I'd like to know how you know about Jack."

Lupin nearly froze and choked on her next breath at Al's words and she looked to him. He was sharp as a tack…she had almost forgotten about that. Almost. And, she had anticipated that she would be cornered and questioned like now…but never from Alphonse. This was the biggest surprise she had gotten; mostly from the person who was questioning her, and not the question itself. She stared dumbly for a few moments, studying his face before she dropped her gaze, the lie she had prepared already on the tip of her tongue, ready for action.

"I…guess I should've told you…" She sighed. "I've…read about Jack Sparrow…and his crew and this ship. It was a really big surprise when I read that this ship had black sails; something unlike other 18th century sailing ships and I guess it intrigued me. A lot. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to freak anyone out. I'm sorry."

It was slapped together quickly, but it didn't matter; she's read plenty about the different pirate captains that had ruled over the different oceans and seas. Plus, nobody could say she was lying; there was no proof that she was. It was easiest, too, to just claim to have read about Jack. It was…true, without the technical details getting in the way…

And keeping a straight face was easier than she imagined. She stared with an impassively sincere look on her face and the feeling was suddenly alien to her, but thankfully, it passed with Al. He seemed to relax considerably at her answer, nodding at it, as if approving of the answer. He smiled, thankful for what he taken for honesty. Lupin felt guilty for lying, but she didn't want to alarm him or his brother or even the crew that…none of this should be real. None of it all; it should be fictional and nothing more.

It scared her more than anything if anyone found out that this was all supposed to be fake; nothing but entertainment where she and Bishquet came from. She didn't want to betray their trust—especially the Elric brothers—but if this was the only way, then…she had to.

"I see…thank you for telling me. I feel a whole lot better knowing how you knew about this place; brother and I suspected, but we didn't exactly know if it were true or not, so it's been keeping us a little edgy around you and Bishquet."

She felt that pang again, but kept a poker face on and nodded. "I thought you guys were a little more uptight about this issue. I'm just kinda glad to get it offa my chest. I didn't know if we should have told you or not; I just didn't want to freak you two out."

"Don't worry. I'm not in the least upset, I just wished you would've told us sooner…it was unnerving to think that you knew so much about this place and we couldn't really figure why. Brother had his theories, but there wasn't any evidence to back it up. I think that's what unnerved him the most. But…I also have one more question…"

Lupin felt another swell of panic arise in her throat, but she tried to hold it back and blinked. _What, what, what…? What is it? Dammit, did I slip up? I know Bish wouldn't, but did I? _

He looked her dead in the eye and Lupin felt the urge to fidget, but maintained herself. She couldn't start up now… She'd give away her nervousness if she did.

"Do you happen to know whom Jack says we're supposedly meeting?"

Lupin hitched her breath and held it. Okay…now that one had been unexpected. Seriously. She was half-hoping for the question on how she knew about him and his brother; that would have been about as easy as his last question, but this…she was feeling conflict roil inside her as her mind pulled in different directions, each fake trail more outrageous than the last. Finally, she started to let herself breath normally again and she shook her head, trying to go for the vaguer approach.

"I…don't really know. They say that…the people who wrote about Jack…they say that he knew someone who called herself 'The Sea Goddess'. An alias, I'm sure of it, but she's said to be able to do strange things, you know? This is the Caribbean; the land of voodoo and stuff…the power to raise the dead and call upon demons from hell for assistance." She paused. She wasn't exactly sure her information about the Caribbean was correct, but she was just going along now, trying to throw him off her tracks. He waited patiently. Lupin continued.

"She's…different, they say. I don't know how; they didn't express a lot about her, even when I went searching for her on the Internet…the information network on my computer, if it could work out here. She's a mystery and not much has been dug up about her, but I have a strong feeling that she could help us. I know it sounds crazy to think on relying upon voodoo and stuff, but…there might be something more to it. If you don't think that's crazy."

Again, she paused; feeling like her fib was growing more and more outrageous with each word that rolled off of her tongue. Al looked at her contemplatively, looking more confused than disbelieving. Finally he spoke.

"You're right…it does sound ridiculous. Strange, even, but…you're also right that this person might be able to help. If…if she's really something other than what people speculate…then she might be able to send us home."

"Or…know other people who can help. It…was mentioned that she knew others like her. Stronger, even." She added, thinking back on her theory about how if Tia Dalma couldn't help, she possibly might know other gods or goddesses who could. She wasn't exactly brushed up on her mythology as well as she wished she was, but she remembered vaguely of mention that there were a few deities who could control time and space itself…at least, she hoped that's what she remembered reading.

"It sounds impossible, though, once you think about it…" Lupin mumbled, more to herself but Al merely laughed.

"Nothing's really impossible…not if you apply the laws of physics and science to it." He chuckled. Lupin pulled herself onto a barrel.

"I know…you mean…like alchemy, right?"

He looked at her in surprise, taken aback. Lupin glanced at him sheepishly. "You're brother's…told me a little about alchemy…and where you came from. It's interesting…and fascinating what you two could do. It's amazing, even…I just wish I could see it for myself, but considering what I've learned from him, it's impossible in this world."

Al relaxed again and he nodded in confirmation. She sighed. "Sorry if I spooked you again." She apologized before getting back off of the barrel and wobbled a few steps before regaining her balance and walked past Al, patting him on the shoulder as she went. He followed and ruffled her hair up. She whined.

"Don't take advantage of my temporary shortness!"

"Who said it was temporary? Are you sure it isn't permanent?" He teased. She scoffed.

"You…are so…_mean_!" She couldn't find any intelligible word to retaliate with, so she merely swatted at him playfully. He laughed and ducked away with as much cat-like grace as his older brother. She could see what Bishquet saw in him; he was fun to tease and talk with…and he wasn't bad looking, either. It was a shame she was a sucker for someone like Ed…unfortunately. _I must love to complicate myself by being attracted to guys with sour attitudes…_

He continued to laugh and Lupin pouted, although she couldn't stop smiling. She felt better now; even if she spoke in riddled lies, she still felt better to at least be able to slip in the bits and pieces of the truth. But she couldn't help but relate to the fact that she had definitely pulled a 'Captain Jack Sparrow' on the young man; she had unwittingly told him the truth by telling him lies. It was…genius, really, and she hadn't noticed until now.

She continued to smile, however, feeling considerably safer on speaking terms with him now; at least she wouldn't have to worry about him sniffing around hers or Bish's trails now. She had somewhat of an ally in Al now.

All she had to worry about was one Edward Elric now, and he could be harder to fool if he were to stay sharp and on his toes…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After supper was all finished off—slowly, but surely some of the crew that had been wary and untrusting of the strange woman, they've come to like her good-humored nature—Lupin was scraping away at the remnants of dinner, scrubbing it down as best she could before deeming it clean and putting it away with a hollow clank next to its fellow iron pots and pans. She turned and left the galley, quickly making her way to the cubby where she stored away her art supplies that Gibbs had given her, but she also grabbed her mechanical pencils and erasers.

Checking the bottles of ink, she made sure the lids were tightened and wouldn't leak as she made her way back up to the stairwell, she found herself in the fresher air on deck. Lupin paused, glancing over her shoulder to where everyone was. She continued towards Jack's cabin, waving to Mr. Cotton at the helm before disappearing from his sights and in front of the doors of Jack's quarters. Hesitantly, she knocked and heard him beckon her in.

Pushing it open, she juggling balancing her items before actually getting a good hold on everything as she ease the door shut behind her with her foot. Lupin looked around, noting that the lighting setting was a little different this time and she nodded slightly, impressed. Although, Lupin wanted to fidget nervously, suddenly feeling like this was a bit of bad idea. _I've never really done asked to do a portrait of someone; I've just taken courses because it was required…_

However, Lupin moved forward, slowly pushing the negativity of this away as she approached Jack, setting her things on the corner of his desk, careful not to disturb his maps. She noted that a makeshift seat had been made for her and she sat down on it as Jack looked up. Lupin paused only momentarily before taking the seat as her own.

"So, you arrive. Good, good." He gave her a flash of gold and teeth before glancing at his charts once more, made another mark and set down his instruments and tools, setting them to the side. "What do you plan on doing, if it may be so bold o' me t' ask."

"Erm…" She felt at a loss for words, staring around the setting that was put up and she finally shrugged, picking up her sketchbook, fiddling at the pages. "I'm…not exactly sure. When I took classes at school, I, uh…the teacher had the model set up for us and we just basically took a position we liked. We didn't really get to do much of place setting ourselves. Um…"

Again, she shrugged, unsure of herself. She finally sighed and let her shoulders sag. She didn't really know what to do, in all honest-to-God opinion.

"Well…I could always start off with practice sketches and go from there, see where I want it to go. But…what exactly did you have in mind, if you don't mind curiosity."

"Whatever you had in mind, I'm comfortable." He waved a disconcerting hand at her and she sighed. _Wow. Helpful hints. _

Lupin finally settled on practice sketches, like she had mentioned earlier, trying to get the feel for the baffling captain's structure on paper: his face, the individual beads and baubles, the interesting way his hair strands flow, even. She studied whatever angle she could get at, delving into the artistic nature of this point of view; she no longer viewed Jack as a figure of admiration or her captain, she viewed him as an artistic subject and nothing more or less, for that matter.

Her strokes were deliberate and different with each sketch and she filled at least four pages; some were detailed structures, showing light and shadow in clear perspectives—although she had to study the lighting intently every now and then for long periods of time—and some were merely just rough sketches with vague outlines and sparse lines that indicated his outline. Simple, yet clear; something she had been experimenting with. She even did a few crosshatching shadings just for the hell of it, but she bordered that technique with a ballpoint pen—something Jack had showed minute interest in, but Lupin saw the spark in his eyes at the sight of the intriguing instrument.

She looked over the charcoal sketches she had completed and smudged over a few sections here and there before pulling out a small can. Jack leaned forward in his chair, staring curiously at the object. Lupin ignored his gaze and stood up, taking a few steps away from the table, set it on the floor and sprayed over every square inch of the paper, waited, turned over the page and did the same steps for the other sketches. She put away the can into her pocket and closed the sketchbook.

"What was that?"

Lupin finally sighed. Expectantly.

"That…was to keep my sketches from smudging. I don't really understand the whole detailing of it all, but it keeps my sketches safe from being worn out and smudged over and stuff."

"I made sure Gibbs purchased the non-smudging charcoal."

She snorted. "You expect me to believe that?"

He raised a brow. "You're quite the pessimistic one, aren't you?"

Lupin shrugged. "Paranoid, mostly. Bish gets on my case about it all the time, telling me to lighten up and not be so uptight about life." She replied, shrugging again. He motioned for the sketchbook and she rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Hungry sketch-monger."

He flipped through, muttering to himself, nodding every once in a while, making fidgety motions as he traced through with his dancing fingers at them, mindful of the spray Lupin had used. She, however, knew that the spray had long ago dried and wasn't in any way jeopardized by Jack's fingers.

He tilted his head here and there, holding it towards of an angle with more or less light and finally he closed it, holding it towards her. She took it and laid it on the table. "So?"

He peered at her, eyes studying her face for a few long, lingering moments before he nodded. "Wonder work, if I may say so. Don't know many artists to compare ye to, so I'd say fer now yer one of the better I've met. You have an…interesting sort of…"

"Style? Technique? Approach? Method?" She offered vaguely, looking down at her nails as if they were suddenly very interesting.

"Process…if you will." He finished. Lupin shrugged before flipping back through her own sketches, ideas running through her mind as she tried to fix a manner in which would suit Jack the most…something leisurely, laidback…pirate-like. She pictured plenty of positions, but none of them seemed like…well, Jack, really. But she could work out the technical details when she wasn't so tired. She wondered how late it was; she honestly didn't know. Lupin remembered sitting up late at night, just sketching, inking, coloring in plenty of pieces of art at her computer desk, ignoring anything and everything else; even her parents' warnings to go to bed, that it was a school night or they had something to do or somewhere to be the next day.

She sighed and closed the book, feeling rather satisfied in some of the results, although some of them were extremely sketchy; mere linearts that were quickly strung up together that were to merely capture the simplistic lines on Jack's head and torso. She also doodled some of the things on his expansive desk, trying to capture the feel of a seventeenth-century captain's quarters. She glanced at some of the candles and noticed that the tall pillars were much shorter than they were a while ago.

Lupin sorely wished for a watch, but it would've been a pain to set and reset with the constant time zone jumping; this ship really was fast, faster than she actually expected. Well, Lupin knew it was fast, but she never knew how fast a normal ship's speed could ascertain. She stopped musing after gathering all of her utensils, double-checking her pens, pencils and other instruments before glancing at the Indian ink. She hadn't even used it. She moaned surreptitiously in her mind at the waste, but maybe she'd used it next time or for a final project.

"Anything you had in mind on what ye'd want to do, luv?"

Lupin's lips twitched and she paused, glancing at him before shrugging honestly. "Nope. Maybe…a black and white ink piece…" She waggled the inkbottle and then dug in her pencil bag, pulling out a Prisma colored pencil. "And perhaps a colored piece, for good measure."

She waved it a few times more, grinning, and then replaced it.

"Wouldn't that technically be two, completely and utterly two different art pieces, when I'm officially paying fer only one?" Jack replied, standing up and wobbling over towards a cabinet nestled in the corner of his quarters. Prying it open, Lupin leaned over slightly to see that it was lined with bottles and he took one out, shut the cabinet door and turned back 'round, bottle in hand.

Jack swished the liquid contents around and Lupin had to hide her wry smile. _A special stash, barely a walk…or should I say, wobble, away._ She thought. _Smooth._

Packing everything into a pile, sighing. It felt good to have something to do. Even if it was just scribbles on paper, it was fun to actually be able to focus on a subject instead of just waiting for things to come to her like usual. Lupin hated still-lifes with a passion—something almost every artist she's met with detested, including her biological father—but portraits were more…intriguing. She had to capture the liveliness of the subject and place it lovingly on canvas, try to breath that same life into the picture as that of the actual thing. It was a challenge, but something Lupin relished in. She especially loved to draw eyes; they've always held a mystifying rapture over her attention when it came to a picture. If the eyes weren't right, then the whole picture was worth less than crap.

Lupin stood, and was about to bid Jack goodnight, but he motioned for her to sit back down as he settled in his own chair, comfortably, leisurely and looking quite at ease, like a cat basking in the sun. Lupin hesitated before she lowered herself back down in her chair.

"Stay, chat. Not much else to do. Night's not that old, luv." He said before taking a characteristically long gulp of the fiery drink he had just obtained from his cabinet. Lupin sighed and shrugged.

"I suppose…a little while won't hurt. Not much conversation when I forced you into a few hours of muteness." She answered. He paused before glancing at his drink and then held it to her. She eyed it for a moment, wary. She had taken sips of the alcoholic beverage every once in a while, but she had stuck to water, mostly because it was good for her…and for another, she didn't want to look like an ass and get drunk off the stuff. Not that she expected to be slurring her speech after two drinks, but she was cautious and kept a surprisingly good distance at the temptation of the stuff.

Lupin eyed it for a moment longer before taking a reach for it, only to have it pulled out of her grasp. She blinked owlishly.

"You hesitated. Not used to the stuff, are ye?" Jack asked, taking a deliberate drink. Lupin sat back, surprised, but holding herself with as much grace as she could, even though she was still slightly flabbergasted.

"No." She answered honestly before adding, "But the drinking laws have changed over the last three hundred years, up to my time period. I would be considered a minor because I'm not twenty-one if I were drinking alcohol. But I'm legally an adult at eighteen. It's not really much of a wonder to think about on why I was hesitant, if you understood the laws of my time period as well as I did."

"Interesting…it's a shame really, that things have had to change, but I suppose…that is the progress of human nature. I've noticed many a things on my journeys out on the oceans for near all my life and I always notice an advance in some society, whether it's with business, laws, sailing, politics or other miniscule, unimportant things in life. The jolly Church o' England, however, has not changed much since its founding. Bit sad really, seeing as it seems that religion always has some sort o' hold on politics. Gets in the way, really. Superfluous to keep it around, if you ask me."

Lupin laughed, but she hid her surprise at the philosophical standpoint Jack presented. She never really saw him much of anything else except a pirate who was very intent on keeping his freedom and his ship, and was extremely adept at twisting words and manipulating people like pawns on a chess board. He was _smart_ and he knew it better than anyone else did.

"I've always hate politics and politicians. Too many corrupt and grossly rich moronic figures of power who use their money to buy their way out of trouble and save face to the public view, if you ask me. I think someone should pinch them of a few precious belongings and give them to someone that really deserves it." She replied sharply, defensively. Jack grinned.

"My thoughts exactly. Too many rich men puttering along on the seas, thinkin' they own the place jus' because they're rich and they can use their money to buy what they want. Me? I earned me keep in the world. Me place wasn't handed t' me, I had to earn it. Those men probably just bought their way to the top. 'Course, they can't buy out the King o' England or any other monarch ruler, but they can get close enough. Or they can just overthrow him, either way… But that's why…it's so much more enjoyable to rob those types o' men in the Caribbean. Not much they can do when they're an ocean away, sitting behind a restricted and rotting place like England."

The wolf was once again offered the drink and she grasped the neck of the bottle, swishing the contents around once or twice before cautiously taking a drink. It wasn't half-bad stuff, fiery to drink, but not bad. She took another drink before giving it back to Jack. "You don't like England, do you?"

He waved dismissive hand. "Too stuffy, too crowded, too…_confined_. Not enough freedom, not like what a ship can offer out on the open seas. That _place_ has nothing to offer what but the _Pearl_ can."

She had to smile at that. Jack certainly loved his ship more than anything or anyone else…well… Lupin glanced at the captain's hat and had to keep her grin from splitting any wider than it already was. _Maybe he loves his hat almost as much as his ship._

"So…where does that lead in to the part where you turned pirate, again?" She finally asked after a while.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	27. Maintenance

**Chapter Twenty-Six:  
Maintenance **

**Reviewers: **

**Silentmoondemon**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Tiggeranddash**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**...Okay. Clearly something's happening. I'll assume lack of reviews (coughlovecough) is due to the hectic, erratic schedules that are beginning to revolve around something called "SCHOOL". I'll forgive you, if that's the case. If something else, like personal or family issues have ensued... Yeah, that's okay too. I send my sympathy out to y'all. D: I can understand it all; this is America, after all, we are all fucked up here and the people out there that we jacked up also live here now. Kind of our fault, but hey, we're America: the pill-popping, schizophrenic nation of the world. (Snerks) And that was a joke, in case I've offended any non-Americans out there, I apologize profusely... Parley? (Lol)**

**Anyways, Kanika, hun, you were the hundredth reviewer, so you still get your open claim on the prize of either an _Up is Down_ one-shot of your request, or something to be written into the future plot of _Up is Down_. Lemme know, either PM or review-wise. :3 **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all.  
_**- Woody Allen**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The next few days seemed to bleed right into the next one, blending, blurring. No signs of land, no signs of Norrington but plenty of blue skies and blue seas. Lupin stared out dejectedly, feeling a smidge of bitterness settle in the pit of her stomach. It was too hot, too sticky, too moist for her likings and for once, she was feeling the affects of the heat get to her; something that rarely happened and when it did, it was even more rare that she allowed it to get to her to actually _show_. Today just seemed to be one of those exceptions as she stole a glance around the churning, frothing waters bashing against the _Pearl_'s sidings. She really wished she could dive in and float alongside the ship…

"Somethin' on yer mind, lass?"

She sighed deeply, studying the swirling vortexes that gushed and fell and rose again, swirling past as the _Pearl_ cut through the waters. She noticed that the little waves were gaining white heads and it was getting a little choppier and the winds were more forceful, catching the black sails above into a fuller bloom. Lines grew taut as the winds pulled harder and the _Pearl_ cut faster through the frothing waters.

"Nothing much, Mr. Gibbs. Just…homesick, I guess." She said, although little enthusiasm or emotion betrayed her voice. It was getting harder for both girls, but Bish was the hardened shield of the two of them. She could hold it back easier than the wolf and that was one of the reasons Lupin greatly admired her friend, among other things.

The grizzled seaman looked to her, almost sympathetically at the somber young woman as she stared blankly out at sea and he hesitated to say something to her. She was foreign; her ways of acting and dressing and talking were evidence enough. She showed no fear or care of wearing clothes that showed more skin than any cultured lady would dare show and her friend was the same. Their mouths, too, could match and even surpass that of the most gnarled sailors he's met and they seemed to know plenty of curses that would make even _them_ turn their heads in surprise. They both acted more like men and it seemed to allow them to fit in with the crew a little more comfortably.

Gibbs finally put a reluctant hand on her shoulder, giving her a small piece of reassurance.

"Ye'll get home for sure, Miss Lupin, I'm sure of it. Jack may be a character, but he's known for his good word."

She looked him in the eyes now, studying his face quietly, observantly before she offered a smile of acceptance. "Thanks. I should…try to see a more positive side of this. It's just getting kind of hard nowadays…"

"Aye, the days at sea can be long and cumbersome, but the days at shore are quite worth the locality when you're somewhere different. Of course, it be difficult when yer in a non-English speaking community, but, ah, well, cultural differences remind us all that there's more to the world than just what we know or hear about. It's the seein' that's what makes these journeys worth the long days working under the hot sun."

Lupin stared for a moment longer before her smile broadened a little and she let out a soft laugh, nodding in agreement. "I guess. It's…intimidating at first when you don't understand a language that isn't your first; kind of like culture shock, if you'd like to call it that… But I guess it kind of does remind us that there are different people out in the world." She replied. He smiled.

"That's the spirit, lass. And of course, getting home won't be much of a difficulty; I'm sure you'll be home soon after we take care of Jack's business."

She nodded once more before glancing over at the horizon, something streaking across her vision. She looked to the skies, locating what it was. A seagull. Gibbs noticed it as well, but said nothing in regards to the sea bird. He turned back to her.

"Ah, right, I almost forgot. Cap'n wanted you and the others to take on yer sword lessons now. I believe Miss Ana is below decks. Would you mind fetching her while I gather up the lads?"

Pushing herself away from the railing, Lupin nodded in acknowledgement and moved below decks quickly, hand coiled around the roping that served as a handrail, ears perked and eyes alert as she swiftly ducked towards the cubby; the first logical place. Lupin was surprised, however, when she didn't find her there and thus ventured deeper into the bowls of the ship, and she found Bish, stretching out, breathing calmly and in a rhythmic pattern. The moves looked complicated, but Lupin figured with a little practice, she could do them just as well.

Clearing her throat, Bish merely remained in the same state, although she did say in annoyed tone, "What is it?"

"Uh, Jack says he wants us to do our sword lesson. Like, right now." She answered. Bish took another deep, long breath before she slowly untangled herself from her position and stood up, cracking her back a little.

"Mmm, right now?"

"Yeah. Gibbs is getting Ed and Al." Lupin answered as she followed Bish back to the upper layers. Bish made a pit stop to the cubby and dropped off her iPod and began to tie back her hair more tightly with the leather cord. Lupin frowned.

"We need hair cuts." She stated. Bish grunted in agreement.

"No shit. But we don't have any freakin' scissors. All I'm doing is growing back two feet of dead hair."

Lupin paused at her friend's comment. "Well…I'm not complaining…my hair's finally down to my ass again."

The Hispanic woman glanced at Lupin before shaking her head slowly as they reached the main deck, her lips pursed. "That isn't the point. The point is, we have _dead_ hair hanging off of our _scalps_ and we need to find an alternate way of getting rid of it soon if we don't have scissors."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She felt her arm spasm from the reverberation of the blade as its rival slashed against her own and she held back from the force, countering with a vertical swipe and backing off with a quick dance of her feet, lightly pushing away on the planks from her opponent, whom she was unfortunately partnered with Leech. She remained still for a moment, sidestepping clockwise and he counterclockwise as they circled, and she held the sword with anxious anticipation, licking her lips and swallowing thickly. _Stay calm, stay calm, he was ordered not to maim, injure or kill…_ She reminded herself, although the pointy, sharp blade seemed to become even more pointed and the side of it even sharper within the last few minutes.

Exertion pushed through as she darted out of the way and smacked the flat side of her sword against Leech's arm, almost amusedly if he didn't snarl so viciously at her and she stumbled back away, ducking smoothly just in time before the whoosh of air soared over her head. She piped down a yelp as Gibbs intervened and stopped Leech's further attacks.

"Now that's enough, Mr. Leech! Ye've made a point, now stand down! We're here to show them proper swordsmanship, not take their heads off!"

The dark-skinned Indian-native man pushed away, sheathing his own sword, although Lupin couldn't help but notice how comfortably his rough hand rested so cozily upon his pistol.

"I don't see the point in teaching these…_girls_ something so refined as sword duals. The smaller one can't even hold her own ground, without so much as stumbling. Pathetic."

Lupin bit back a snarl building up in her throat, glaring at the man. "Say that to my face, turban boy!"

"Insolent child! This is why she cannot learn! Her arrogance will soar with the burden of a sword, rather than the responsibility! She has no place here, other than that of the galley's duties."

Bish, throughout most of the dual, had sat quietly besides Al and Ed, but the moment Leech had begun trying to gut in on Lupin, she wanted to punch that jerkoff so bad. She clenched her jaw and itched to just carve him a new one, but she saw Lupin already standing up and brushing the man off, muttering under her breath about wanting a new partner to practice with. She gruffly planted herself besides her friend, who patted her on the shoulder consolingly. "Just ignore him. Good job out there. You had him on the run."

"Mr. Leech, our orders were clear to give them lessons during the days and we will follow them through. If ye disobey, then we'll take it up with the captain and I'm sure he'll have no ill will to put ye away in the brig fer the remainder of the trip!" Gibbs retaliated against Leech's last statement and the taller, thinner man pursed his lips but gave a sharp nod, dark eyes boring into Gibbs's own before he turned away.

"Find her a new partner. I will not…_train_ with her any longer."

"Fine with me, garlic-breath, I was getting bored with your predictable routine anyway. You favor your right side and you always leave your left wide open, along with your lower torso. Just in case you wanted tips." Lupin grunted loudly. Bish grinned. Ah, the ever immaculate wolf; she knew details like no other. But Bish noticed something as well, something that Lupin probably hadn't caught onto yet. He also seemed to have a counting rhythm to his footwork; about ten to his left, then to his right, and his slashes were always at his chest level, leaving everything else vulnerable to attack. It was rather worth sitting out and watching, waiting and studying. Her patience was one of rarity and often times, people were surprised by it, but she didn't allow much of it to brush off on her.

Leech snarled, but kept his tongue, pivoted and stalked away with a dangerous prowl to his step. Lupin looked rather satisfied, but she let the expression slip away as easily as she had put it on and turned to Gibbs, who gave the young woman a reproachful look.

"No need for harsh words, Miss Lupin. Ye've already scared off yer last partner…"

"Hey, he was easy. If that's the best you got, I think I'll take on the captain for my lessons."

Lupin earned a smarting hit upside the head and she reeled back, away from Bishquet. The Hispanic woman raised a brow. "Don't get full of yourself, you couldn't beat Ed when you were dueling him."

The wolf pouted and she glared at the snickering elder Elric, but said nothing and sighed, shrugging in a deflated manner. "Fine, fine…Gibbs, can't you find someone who isn't so sexist on the ship for me and Bish? I mean, I know you, Marty, Cotton and Jack are cool with us, but the other guys are kinda…iffy with us."

"Iffy, you say." Gibbs repeated bemusedly, rubbing his grizzled beard. Lupin nodded.

"Iffy. You know, dodgy, avoiding any chance to help us? All that jazz?" Lupin continued to input. So far, she noticed, there were no smartass remarks from Edward and characteristically, she heard nothing out of Alphonse, although she wondered if it were out of polite courtesy. She sighed and leaned back on the planks she sat on, resting her head comfortably on Bish's shoulder all the while gazing up at Gibbs, waiting. Finally, an aggravated sigh came from where Ed sat.

"Fine, if you're so stubborn as to scare off every potential person who's trying to help you, I might as well step in."

Bish glanced over at Ed, who had stood up and was beginning to routinely stretch, the sword he was given to practice with lying on a barrel beside his brother. Of course, Bish looked his fine way and caught the younger Elric's amber-gray eyes and she raised a brow suggestively, lips perked into a soft smile and she nodded to his brother and then at Lupin. He blinked for a moment, confused, then smiled back.

"If no one will teach Bish, I'll volunteer." He suggested and Bish smiled a little broader; a little too broad, actually. Ed turned to look at his brother, then at Bish, caught her grin and raised a brow.

"Oh, I see. Fine, teach your girlfriend, I'll take care of the anti-social "wolf" over there." Edward waved off and Al felt heat rush up to his face and Bish snickered.

"She's not—! I…!" He managed to squeak out before Lupin butted in, loud and clear.

There was an indignant, "Hey, I AM a wolf, ponytail boy!" from her and she scoffed when he merely gave her a cocky little smirk. If she hadn't been so insulted, she probably would've noticed how familiar it seemed. It was more of a connection to his teenager self than anything. He ignored her half-assed comeback and motioned for her to stand up.

She sat, defiant for a long while before Bish smacked her gently on the back and said in a hushed tone, "Go have a kinky sword fight with the man; he's actually pretty good. Better choreographed than Leech, I'll tell you that much."

The wolf blanched and Bish grinned at the light rosy pink that dusted Lupin's face as she turned to glare at her. "Don't say shit like that to me! I'm not with him, so…stop it!"

Bish snorted.

"Shut up and go have fun banging away with your metal stick. I know I will." She paused before adding, "And in case you hadn't noticed, Ed just volunteered to help you. Volunteered, as in, willingly, obligingly, without hesitation or thinking really hard on it like he normally would. That's a good sign, just go with it."

Lupin rolled her eyes heavenwards, but smiled, sighing and nodding. "Fine…"

"And just to warn you…you might be a little distracted, you know, by the fine ass and hardcore abs he's sporting, so watch out. He may be a sexy fiend, even by my standards, but I've got the hotter younger brother. See you in a little, bitch."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, slut."

"Captain's wench." Bish shot back before picking herself up and striding over to Al with a little wiggle to her step, sword in hand, the tip facing down. Lupin froze up at the comment and choked up before sputtering.

"I-I'm not—! WHORE!" Lupin finally snapped, earning very odd stares from those in the surrounding vicinity. Gibbs, throughout the whole transition, had chosen to wisely stay silent and after a moment of watching the happenings, he nodded, as if approving of the choice of partnering and moved to finally sit down and have a nice drink, but he would keep an eye on the four, as he was ordered by Jack.

A clap on the shoulder startled her and she whirled around, sword suddenly striking against another and golden eyes keeping a steady watch on her.

"Firstly, I'd like to mention that I won't be as easy to scare off like your other partners." Ed stated coolly, head tilted to the side as he surveyed her with an air of calmness about him. Lupin gathered herself quickly enough and scoffed, feeling more than just adrenaline pump through her.

"Fine, I'll just have to work harder with you, then. Be careful though, I bite." She grunted back, feeling suddenly cocky now that she at least had a weapon in hand. She guessed that just about anyone would if they had one, too. Or maybe it was just her? Lupin thought for a moment before mentally berating herself for taking the bait and calmed herself. Tense muscles slowly eased up and Ed seemed to be…waiting for this. He stepped away, and Lupin noticed he was favoring his right hand.

"Switch."

She stared stupidly back. "Huh?"

"Switch hands. You need to learn how to fight with both of them. You never know when it might save your life if you try to use your less favorable arm, trust me. I know."

"What about you?" She asked bluntly. Lupin glanced over to see that Bish and Al were already starting, and she was, once again, amazed at her friend's calculating strikes; this had been going on for almost every sword lesson now; once Bish had learned basic maneuvering, she had adopted the strategist position; always keeping a careful eye on her opponent and making sure to analyze her own next moves. Lupin may have an eye for detail and use it to her advantage, but Bish had definitely taken a more definite and solid role as a tactical fighter. The wolf was thoroughly impressed and proud of her friend and how she had adapted so quickly with the use of a sword.

Ed took a few steps back and had switched his sword from his favored, metal hand to his flesh and blood one. Lupin watched with pursed lips before she, too, finally complied, although she was reluctant and the overconfidence that once was her ego slowly diminished. She was not so well on her left and she knew it. Edward sighed.

"We'll build up on your left hand for now. Until then, let's go back to basic steps and positioning." He began. Lupin never really wrote him off as instructor material, but she pushed the thought away, readied herself and nodded in understanding. _Let's get this party started…_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish whined uncharacteristically as she jerked her fingers through her massive rat's nest that she was forced to call her hair. It had definitely grown almost to the same length it had been when she had first met Lupin a few years back, right in front of _T.G.I. Fridays_ in Simi. _Ugh_. Fridays.

"Fuck _Fridays_." She muttered bitterly, containing another yowl at her attempt at taming the evil that sat atop her head. Even Lupin's brush, in all its glory, couldn't save her once again frizzed, frazzled, curly and tangled mass of mostly dead hair. She wished for scissors more than anything. A fucking _**KNIFE**_ would suffice, but she knew that Lupin would most likely attempt to harm her for using the rickety galley knife for cutting her hair. Plus, she'd need some other supplies like a cape, some water and then she could just use the brush to try and comb out the worst job…

She sighed listlessly.

Woe unto her. All she wanted was a pair of scissors or a pocketknife.

…

Goddammit.

Why didn't she think of it sooner?

Lupin had a pocketknife. Duh. She bought it on their first stop down where the hell it was. Jamaica? No. It was somewhere in present day Caribbean, that was all she knew... God, it seemed so long ago. How long ago? Weeks? Months? Maybe…but then again, it could have been longer or even less than that. She didn't know, she just wanted to go visit the witch doctor lady, Tia Delma or Dalma or whatever the hell her name was; she wasn't the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ fanatic that Lupin was, and frankly, she didn't really give two shits until she landed here: IN THE FUCKING MIDDLE OF IT ALL.

Who knew…maybe karma really did work.

"This is total bullshit." She grunted, pushing aside in the cubby towards Lupin's bag. Somewhere, somewhere…she knew the wolf had that damned pocketknife somewhere in her bag; she never had it anywhere else BUT her oversized travel bag. No, no…ah, there it was. The gleaming handle dimmed in the lighting as she pulled it out and twirled it over in her hands, careful and mindful that Lupin had a mind on keeping her blades nice and sharp quite often.

Flicking it open with a cautious hand, she eyed the sharper edge of the blade, surveying it, grimacing. If she were to cut her hair, it'd hurt like hell. She'd most definitely need some form of help and that would come in the package of a five-foot even, blue-gray eyed, dark-haired brunette who grasped more at the piratical lifestyle than Bishquet ever would. And irony had a funny way of working. The curtain jerked back and Lupin herself popped inside, saying something or other, only to stop when Bish turned, blade pointed out. Lupin flinched and backed off instinctively, swallowing, but looking rather calm for someone who just had their own blade accidentally pointed at their person.

"Dude, what the hell?"

Bish blinked owlishly before fiddling with the blade, trying to force it back down. She tried, at the very least, but Lupin finally motioned for it. Bish grunted, tried a few times and snapped at Lupin to back off before finally handing it over and Lupin closed it easily, then pocketed the knife.

"What the hell?" She repeated. Bish shrugged, fidgeted and then whined.

"It's not fair. I want a haircut. I haven't had one in months. I don't normally beg, but I need one. BAD. And you do too, by the way."

Lupin looked affronted and clasped an unneeded dramatic hand over the tail of her hair that slumped over shoulder. "It's down to my ass, are you insane? It took me one month to get it down there! I can NEVER get it down there in my own household!"

Bish shrugged, indifferent. "Oh well. We need the cut. And…you know, just between you and me, I think the two boy toys do too." She waggled her brows at the wolf. "You know who I'm talkin' 'bout…"

She rolled her eyes at the Hispanic woman. "Riiiigght, and you really think Ed's going to just up and say, 'Okay, sure, cut my hair!' …Willingly?"

"No, but you have a way with words. You say it yourself all the time; if you cleaned up your act, you could make a pretty damned good lawyer."

"First off, I say that whole lawyer thing about my dumbass of a brother. Second, I doubt Ed will willingly go along with it all unless his hair actually _bothered_ him. And third…you just want an excuse to get close with Al. Dirty minded…you scare me sometimes, okay? You know that, right? And why the hell are we talking about _hair_, anyways?"

Bish patted her friend's shoulder consolingly, calming the wolf slightly.

"Look…I know you really like it when your hair grows down to or past your ass…but it's also just dead weight, weighing you down. It'd do you good to just cut it short like I had it before this damned fiasco. Maybe even cutting it shorter, like down to your shoulders." Lupin made a soft simpering sound at that and Bish held up her index finger, silencing the whimpering woman. "And, I know it's painful to think about, but, it won't bother you as much and it wouldn't need _as much_ maintenance for a while. As for the guys, well, if they'll do it, great, if not, that's their problem."

Bishquet paused momentarily and sighed.

"Al might agree. _Might_. Ed, for a fact I know this, will be stubborn. He's got some…_thing_ going on with keeping his hair, as ridiculously long as it is for some reason, I don't know. If he keeps it up, though, he'll end up looking like a very bad version of Jack with blonde dreds. It's getting kinda gross, what, with him not being able to bathe properly and him being all…sweaty and dirty all day and night long…"

As much as it pained her, she had to tell Lupin the truth, even though she knew the wolf knew it already. She just had to _hear_ it to actually acknowledge it. Lupin stayed silent for a while, took in a very deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly. Pursing her lips, she brought out her pocketknife once more, twiddled it in her hand for a few moments, and then nodded solemnly. "Fine…let's get to it right now…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After a quick little shuffle around the ship, Lupin had gathered what Bish said she needed, including her trench coat for a cape, a bucket of fresh water, and then she went on into a grueling half-hour argumentative task of gathering the two brothers. Clasping one of their hands in each her own, she dragged a complaining Edward and more compliant Alphonse behind her, giving little information to the two until she got them where she and Bish wanted them.

"Would you just _tell us_ what we're doing down here?"

Lupin shrugged nonchalantly, face a blank on her true intentions while she merely smiled it away, eyes glittering mysteriously.

"You'll see, you'll see." She simply answered. Turning, she dragged them farther and found Bishquet finish setting up. Lupin let go of Al and Ed's hands and pulled out the pocketknife and handed it to Bish, patted her on the shoulder and glanced back at the boys. She giggled a little when she, even in the slightly dimmed lighting in the bowls of the ship, could see the slight paled complexion both boys had taken real fast at the sight of the folded knife.

"What? We just wanted to know if y'all wanted a haircut is all."

…

"That's _it_? You dragged me down here for _that_?"

Lupin shrugged and took the blade, twisting it in her hand, not exactly fast and expertly, but at a reasonably well-placed pace. "Well…yeah. We thought…well, Bish really actually came up with it, but we thought that you'd like to get a…haircut. You know, cause we ain't able to properly take care of our hair, maybe we'd take off a bit of unnecessary dead weight from our heads. You know?"

She paused, uncertain, glancing at Bishquet for help. Her friend only shrugged, helpless, almost as if to say to her that if they said no, than that was it. Nothing they could do, they tried, and all that jazz. Lupin sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she turned back. In return, she received a disgruntled scowl from Edward and a more sympathetic gaze from Alphonse.

"I actually think that's…a good idea. It's kind of hard to do any work with hair blowing all over my face…" He added helpfully. Lupin sighed and an unconscious hand reached up and stroked the tail of her hair, clinging to the tips, almost protectively. She didn't want to get a haircut, but she knew it had to be done. It was an unfortunate evil necessity that she was forced to expedite on.

She heard a grunt from Edward and he started to scuffle off, only to stop at the indignant, "Brother!"

He paused, glanced at his younger brother and then further back at the two young women, one of which had once been twirling the pocketknife between her fingers, but had now stopped. She watched him, observant and quiet, although it seemed she already understood his answer already. She merely pursed her lips momentarily, nodded, shook her head mid-nod and turned away, arms folded as she turned to look at Bish and quietly conversed with her truly one and only friend aboard this ship. Familiarity traveled indecisively with most people and the two of them were no exception; they remained close to what was recognizable to them and that was what little they had with them and each other. The same could be said for himself and his brother. Edward pursed his own lips into a thin line, sighed, and turned away, waving a dismissive hand in the air, as if it was enough to clear his departing.

There was a silent pause between the three of them before Bish cleared her throat and Lupin and Al both looked to her. Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose while discreetly wiping away the sweat gleaning from her nose at the same time. She sighed.

"Well…I guess we should just…get this over with, then, huh?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Don't forget to review, my little pretties. I went ten days without updating, I can go a couple more...weeks. Months, even. Not a problem for me, and you know it. I'll be waiting, while I go to work all day tomorrow...**


	28. Complications

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:  
Complications**

**Reviewers: **

**Tiggeranddash**

**Volital**

**KageArai**

**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Tobi—That's What They Call Me**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Sorry for the very long overdue update. D: I had just gotten a job just recently over the summer (Yay! :D) and I sell SHOES. Comfort shoes, to be exact, and even though it's only on weekends, I get tired after work. Then, my senior started not too long ago, so that eats up a bit of my time. I still got a few assignments to finish up, and I've been slipping out of my piratical inspiration for the story. D: Not good, I know, and this chapter, along with several others that had been prewritten a while back, are all I have completed at the moment. I'm stuck (currently I'm at chapter 34; I know, not that far off from this one) right now, so updates for _Up is Down_ will be slowing down, severely so. Until then, though, please review. Or I won't update, at all. **

**And, because I'm a lazy S.O.B., I won't mind at all. Y'all have gone this long without any updates: I'm sure you can go a little bit longer before cracking, but me? ...Meh. xD Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Bish supported the idea and we both thought it maddeningly hilarious when I first hesitantly presented it to her on MSN and kinda pushed me into it. x3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Gibbs:**_"Not quite according to plan…"  
_**Jack:** _"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome…"  
_**- Gibbs and Jack, **_**Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin stared at the heap on the floor, a heap of old hair that had once been connected to hers and Bishquet's heads. Golden locks soon began to join on the floor along with the darker strands and the wolf picked at her drastically shortened hair. She shoved a camouflage bandanna she had only recently discovered in her book bag onto her head, hiding her shortened bangs, her barely-touching-the-shoulders bulk of hair. The cut itself was rather choppy and jagged clumps matted with sweat stuck up in all directions at the back, making her look like it was an accidental layering.

The ONLY things Lupin refused obstinately to have cut were the braids with beads tied into them, the ones that Jack had done up for her. Even when Bish had reminded Lupin that they would most definitely look severely uneven, considering the ratio of lengths compared to her hair now and the length of her braids, which matched her hair's old length, would throw her appearance off. Lupin still stood her ground and the Hispanic woman finally gave in and began to slice off the looser, long locks.

After settling her bandanna over her head and tucking away the smaller strands of hair with a clumsy hand, Lupin stroked what had once been rather lengthy hair and stifled a half-whimper. Bishquet glanced at Lupin from the corner of her eye with a mild glare and Lupin stopped, putting down her hand in a self-conscious manner. Bish returned to attend to Al, ignoring his wince, giving him a sharp rap on his shoulder. "Hold still and _stop squirming_. I'll cut you on purpose and not by accident if you keep it up."

Despite the ill humor at how short she had had her haircut, Lupin couldn't help but chuckle at her friend. She waited and watched as Al held still, despite the unfortunate pain that was associated with this makeshift haircut. Before long, he had his hair to a reasonable length once more and he rubbed the back of his head, which most likely, was throbbing. She had to sympathize; her head was still a little sore, and she figured Bish's foul mood was due to the fact that her hair was a thicker mass and was therefore, thicker as well as individual hairs and took twice as long to hack away in. Halfway through, Bish had taken a stab at her own hair, saying it was like a jungle-ish nest that had needed to be exterminated. Lupin didn't doubt it for a minute, considering she actually had to have Alphonse try to help her retrieve her own knife from the thick, bushy mass.

Bish helped untie Lupin's trench coat from the young man, dusted it off of any stray hairs and after squinting at it all, inspecting, handed it back to Lupin. She tucked it onto her lap, one hand still stroking her missing hair. Bish sighed as she handed the young woman back her pocketknife as well.

"Enough! It's just hair! It'll grow back, you idiot!"

Lupin pouted.

"Yeah, well…" She stopped short and stuck her lower lip out again in another pout. "I liked it long." She finally managed to grumble moodily, eyes flickering towards the pile of hair. For an impulsive moment, she wanted to drop down from her perch and swoop up her pile of hair and huddle it close to her, but discarded the ridiculous—not to mention, insanely retarded—idea and slowly replaced her feet back onto the planks, regaining her balance in tune with the ship's to and fro movement. The beads clanked against her cheeks and head, dangling from underneath the bandanna's tight grip.

Alphonse glanced at Bishquet, who had had as much of her hair cut off as much as possible and it barely touched her shoulders, although it wasn't as choppy a job as Lupin's hair. The curls were still rather thick, but it seemed that they could at least be more manageable than when it had been long. She took a hair tie off of her wrist and tied off what she could, while Lupin merely shuffled her feet, hand picking at the bandanna once again, tugging at one braid and then at a stray strand of dark brown hair poking through the bandanna.

Al hesitated for a moment before he smiled and placed a hand on Bish's shoulder, and she met his gaze, and returned the smile. "Thank you, for the haircut, I mean. I did kind of need it, but I think Brother would've needed it more."

"He's got a bigger rat's nest than me." Lupin grumbled, her tone still rather gruff and moody. Al flicked his gaze over towards her momentarily, frowning, but he said nothing. Bish gave her friend a reproachful look, but the wolf paid no heed to either stare; merely stood there, continuously picking at pieces of her hair, or her beads, staring at her feet.

Bish returned her gaze towards Alphonse, smiling again.

"No problem, hun, really. I figured you'd needed it, and I knew a little something-something about cutting hair. I used what I could. It's all right, though, right? You don't need any adjustments or anything?" She questioned and he smiled again, chuckling and waving them off with his hand.

"No, no, it's fine now. It probably won't bother me for a while, but if I do need another one, you'll be the first to know."

"I'd better be, or I'll definitely have some asses to kick." Bish joked, the sarcasm relaying her underlying amused tone. Lupin rolled her eyes, hiding her own smirk before she tugged on her coat on and skulked off, Bishquet and Alphonse not too far behind her.

Her hands continued to pull and finally she mentally scolded herself. _Just stop, you're being an idiot. It's hair; it'll grow back. It'll _grow back.

However, among her musings, she didn't pay attention to her surroundings, merely shuffling along through memory and of course, as all irony seemed to condemn, accidentally ran into someone. And if the gods of irony didn't seem to think that enough, they just had to have Edward be in place of that person whom the wolf so unwittingly ran into.

Ruffled, but not out, Lupin backed up, apologizing, still a little stunned. Edward looked at her for a moment, confused, before his eyes widened.

"Lupin?"

She bit her lip and smiled, huffing out a single laugh. "Yeah?"

"You…uh…your hair."

She immediately tugged at the bandanna, bringing it farther down her brow. "Yeah…I know, I look crappy; Bish got a little hair-cutter happy."

"Did not, and you know it, bitch." Bish called from behind her.

Lupin was unceremoniously pushed forward a little, but not enough to make her fall, merely stumble. Lupin pivoted quickly, giving Bish a quick, playful swipe. The Hispanic woman countered, smacking the hand away and ducking out, taking two steps before stopping. She rolled her eyes and then yanked off the bandanna. "Then what do ya call this?"

"A haircut as best as I could do. Plus, you needed a new look. You actually look really cute with short hair, so stop your bitching." Bish replied chastely, and Lupin rolled her eyes.

"Riiiigght." She muttered. Both Alphonse and Edward had both wisely chose to remain silent in the debate between the two women and only until it seemed Lupin decided to back down for this one did Al speak up.

"Well…it does look nice. It's not so bad-looking, Lupin." He offered. Lupin glanced at him, then at her friend, pausing longer on Bish before sighing again and pulling the bandanna back on, delicately pulling out each beaded strand out to hang either on the side of her face or to join the bulk of her dark hair.

"I…guess." She finally muttered, turning back the way she was going. She glanced momentarily at Ed and he stepped aside, and looked to Bish and his younger brother, noting that they too, had cut their hair as well. Bish watched her friend leave, disappearing into the dark and she grunted. How that little person was able to navigate with little to no toe stubbing or tripping in the dark was beyond her. What'd she do, evolve into a higher species with better night vision or something?

Jokes aside, Bish hefted back up the lantern and then gazed back at Edward. "Well? What's on your mind?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was actually nice to have a woman's touch on board; he had to admit. Even though they claimed to be from over three hundred years ahead from this time period (and it was increasingly hard to disbelieve their claims; they certainly did not have the etiquette of any women he's known and he's known plenty) they were still just women at heart, no matter the year in which they were brought forth into the world. They were picky, they fussed, they complained, and they were a mixture of unflappable consistency and strength that he's seen so rare at times in so few women who embraced a more manly life-style.

But…

Not that they acted _manly_, no. They just had more of the male-enticed attitude towards certain situations, sucking it up and doing the job or expressing themselves out loud rather than keeping their heads down and bowed quietly, doing as they're told like pampered, properly mannered women. No, they had too much spirit and fire in them to be pushed around like timid beasts. He saw how if they were pushed, they shoved back, not standing to be trodden over. He saw _fire_ in the two, as well as the _other_ two, the young men on his ship. Although the younger brother reserved himself, it was the older one whom he kept an eye on, knowing that he had a volatile nature and reacted with suspicion…no, more like caution.

Edward didn't trust him as easily as his brother had.

He couldn't exactly blame the lad, really. He was, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow, captain of the _Black_ _Pearl_, the fastest ship in the Caribbean and known for his excerpts in those waters. Port Nassau was one of his more famed stories, aside from the sea turtle story of his escape from his marooning and mutinied crew naught but ten years ago. Plus, he was a pirate, but that was probably the bulk of Edward Elric's reason for not giving much trust to him.

Jack characteristically kept to his quarters when the day began to wane, keeping records of his charts and maps up-to-date. And, characteristically, he had a well stock of rum within his quarters, in a cabinet, and at the moment, he had a half-full bottle sitting beside his hand as he wrote patiently in a log, keeping his records at sea up-to-date as well. Soon he'd have to light the candles and soon he'd have a fresh, hot dinner come in to him, served by the littler of the two women, Lupin. She'd leave, eat and drink, and perhaps create entertainment for herself for a while, maybe chat with some of the less impulsive members of his crew that tolerated hers and Ana's presences, and then she'd come and perform her nightly sketch session with him. Her little drawings, the one's he's skimmed through while she sketched him, were amusing, at best; and colorful, too.

She had yet to find or create a good sketch to actually polish up and work on for real. He had glimpsed at her artwork before, yes. Cartoon-like sketches, but none of them were painted and neither did she use tools that were traditional to this time. He stopped writing momentarily at the sharp dings of the bell, tolling the new hour. Ah, five o'clock. Dinner would be served soon. He took a long gulp of his favored alcoholic beverage during his respite from writing in his log, allowing the ink to dry.

He sat in his chair, reclining like a jungle cat; content at where he was, just sitting there, feeling the soft pitches and rolls of the ship beneath him and he felt more at home here than he has in years. Oh, how he missed his beloved _Pearl_ from the clutches of that bastard, Hector Barbossa. And now he had that bloody, cursed _thing_ what Barbossa called a pet that screeches and gallivants across his ship like it owned it rather than him. Oh sure, he's caught it straight and true before with his pistol (and a few of the other crew's as well when he was out of powder or ammunition) plenty of times, even in states of intoxication, but the thing continued to terrorize him plenty.

And if only that damned island hadn't sunk and if only all that treasure hadn't been sunk along with it… He could've had more than enough to have more extensive repairs for his ship's state, but the sails were no longer in a piteous condition and nor was the woodwork rotted-looking and decayed with years and misuse. The basic necessities were what he had done, but the accessories would have to wait for his retrieval of the key he sought out…

Jack turned to stare down at his charts once more, these of the Mediterranean. Settlements, towns, colonies and all the like were mapped out on the land portions, islands clearly detailed, passages mapped out, and fail-safe pinpoints of upraised sandbars or shallow waters shown clearly on one of the more worn and yellowed of parchments and he took his tools out, adjusting them accordingly with a practiced hand. Marking each leg of the journey was crucial and navigating consequently was also crucial.

His kohl-faded eyes glanced momentarily towards one of the closest settlements before the last push of the voyage, located in Tripoli. They had gotten plenty of the ship's supplies and certainly enough food supplies, but some things went bad and according to what he's learned from the two young women's knowledge on rotting food, it was "disgustingly unhealthy, and surreptitiously, it also helps in the declining health of the men," as Lupin so eloquently put it. So, rotting food equaled a sick and unable-bodied crew, which would also ruin his plans (or at least slow them down severely), which would mean in the _possible_ capture by the Royal British Navy and bloody Norrington. Because, well, no one catches Captain Jack Sparrow, and if they did, it was not for very long and it was not a permanent victory for the opposing team.

So, some food, which had either been wasted, or had started to rot, was thrown to the waters, allowing the creatures of the sea to feast upon, because they didn't seem to mind the time in which it's spent decaying. And that would mean another stop for food, but Lupin had assured him that she could stretch the dried goods to more stylized stews or chowders or soups, perhaps with the mouth-watering meals of meat from one of the livestock creatures they had accumulated in Spain. After Gibbs had helped her with the first, she easily was able to take down a second one and cooked it perfectly, trying to make it as seasoned as she could with the limited supplies a ship could offer.

It was an unnecessary need, though, but if it would humor her, he'd allow a quick two days, perhaps three at most, stop in Tripoli before pressing on to the Turkish prison. Then they'd double around, and he'd drop the girls and the lads off at Tia Dalma's and they would no longer be his problem. One reason he kept them around was to hear more about the future to come, which he extracted from the unwitting Lupin, who was happy to chatter her sweet little mouth about it.

Times would change. He had expected as much. Technology would advance, and there were plenty of _machines_. Machines that would make things easier and something new called electricity. It certainly had a lovely ring to the name: _electricity_. She had tried to explain it and he had tried to grasp it, but she suspected he only flailed with the idea of it all. He did understand the gist of it, though; it would ostensibly replace candles and their sources of light, travel across land would no longer be limited to foot or horseback and most ships would become metallic monsters, huge and overbearingly large that transported larger quantities of goods from countries across sea. Some, however, she reassured, would remain wooden, or would be created of material similar to her ship, although she had sadly informed ships like his would all but disappear to the depths of the oceans.

Many things, including art, literature, music and life statuses would change dramatically. Wars would be fought and won or lost and much more would happen over the next three hundred or so years. There would be an industrialized boom, where textile mills would produce key ingredients to the world's economic structure. Women would begin to play more key roles in history to come, which included their roles in wars, military powers, naval positions, voting and working, and much more. He was actually impressed that women were allowed their own voice in her world. It was certainly very rare in these times.

She was quite talkative, even when she didn't notice, the poor girl.

Jack returned to his journal, realizing the waning light and before long, had finally risen to light the interior of his cabin, and barely minutes after lighting them, sitting down and resuming to finish his log, the door opened and in came the little wolf, his food prepared neatly and smelling just as delicious as last night's meal. Lunches were quick and easy to fix, simple enough, and breakfast was also an easy case, but dinners were delicious, whenever she cooked it up. She was creative, he had to give her that much.

Although when he looked up, he hadn't been sure if it was the familiar young face he was used to seeing or not. He had to actually lean back and squint at her momentarily before he recognized the heart-shaped face and the beads he himself had put into her hair to realize it really was her.

Only…

It wasn't, in a way.

It was the same set of blue-gray eyes, and the heart-shaped face and that quirky little smile of hers. Although… Her hair had been drastically shortened, cut into layers in a choppy fashion, and it no longer reached down past her butt, but now barely brushed her shoulders. A small scarf, mottled in different shades of green and black and brown and tanned tones, was thrown over her head, covering it up, although he glimpsed some longer threads of his well-weaved braids and of course, the beads that were woven into her hair as well. They were, it seemed, the only untouched selections upon her profile.

Otherwise, it was the same young woman: dark blue slacks, which she had identified as jeans, a rather revealing shirt that she called a tank top (and assured was normal for women her age, older and younger wore daily where she came from) and those heavy, inconvenient "steel-toed" boots.

Lupin popped in, smiling as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, only to have it flop right back down.

"Hi, Jack." She said casually, closing the door behind her as she came in, walking to and fro and in time with the ship's movements.

"Hello, dearie. Just set it o'er there."

He must admit, at first she had less bearings than she did now and the progress in which she's come, along with her friend and companions was drastic.

She set down the tray where he indicated, and she did so, pausing to look at the charts again.

"Here we are." He tapped the map, eyeing the fine dish of food before him.

"I figured. Dang, we did a lot o' miles today."

"We're aiming to get ahead of a possible hurricane that's starting to show signs of amassing on the horizon. We want to move as fast as possible and not lose our grounds, dearie."

"I guess so… It's hurricane season up here?" She asked, surprised. He stared at her critically. Still young and still had much to learn.

"Of course it is. Squalls n' storms are normal, but now it's the worst beatings the seas will give us while we're here and hopefully we'll get ahead of it far enough to avoid it. These things can last for days, as I'm sure you're fully aware of." He stated clearly. Of course he's noticed the horizon; any seasoned sailor would have. Again, he reminded himself, she would learn in time while she was here. Already, she as well as the others had gathered enough sense of small changes in the weather, but even a cabin boy would know them by now. He'd have to have their lessons extended and he mentally tucked that note away for later when speaking with Gibbs.

"Oh. Okay…" She answered, looking back at the map. He began to eat, and he noticed her furrow his brow momentarily. "Do you…mind if we do something a little bit different for tonight's session?"

He paused in eating, looking at her, studying her face as she turned to stare at him, waiting and expectant of an answer. He reached for his drink and took a small swig, rolling his mind over the question. Something new? Sounded like fun, so why not?

"Of course, dearie, so long as you're here on time."

She smiled, nodding and thanked him before leaving him be to eat.

Ah, women...such fickle creatures.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

After delivering Jack's food to him, Lupin returned respectively to her galley duties, refilling bowls for those who craved seconds whilst she ate and spoke with her three friends. Dusk was, as a rule, muggy and humid as hell like any other aspect of sailing in the Mediterranean. Bish often voiced her complaints of missing the Atlantic; at least it was cooler there, she stated. Thankfully, however, the temperature always began to drop, as it got darker. Tonight was no exception and it blissfully continued to dim, the sun sinking low into the horizon, the sky bleeding dark shades of reds and oranges, royal purples and indigoes, navy blues and inky blackness with speckles of stars popping up slowly, one by one.

When all the food was gone or almost gone, she excused herself from the others and went to clean the dishes and pots, just as usual as she would at home. Grabbing a lantern, she made her way back below decks and towards the galley, and set to work, guided by her swinging light of the lantern. She began scrubbing. It was difficult, given she had no soap, but if she could do so without it in Minnesota, in the middle of a cold, icy winter or in the rainy and just as cold spring, Lupin vouched silently to herself that she could make do without it here as well. Besides, it wasn't like there was a store to stop by at in the middle of the freakin' ocean.

She finished the pots in record time, filed them away in their usual space so that they couldn't jiggle loose and turned away, grabbing her lantern on her way out. Pausing, she stopped in her tracks, staring around the deep, contrasting shadows and what little light her lantern made. She doubled back towards the forecastle, to hers and Bish's cubby. If she was going to be meeting Jack later tonight, she'd at least have her stuff prepared instead of having to come back down again.

Lupin pushed back what hair was in her face and immediately regretted it. Short, poofy locks greeted her bare fingers, no longer the unruly and long bundles she was so used to. She could not remember ever having short hair in her life, except for that embarrassingly disgusting bowl cut her mother had done herself when she had been in second grade. But that had been a long time ago and her hair grew back by third grade over the summer or so. Now she felt like she looked like Yuna from the _Final Fantasy_ games, minus the different colored eyes and the prettiness.

She knew for a fact that she did not look like a bouquet of roses now, considering she hasn't had a proper shower with real shower gel, shampoo and condition. Nor has she had a long while to properly maintain herself on this ship. She remembered at first she took special care at what she chose to wear at times, but now she threw away all that "modesty" crap out the window and donned shorts when it convened her in this oppressive heat. Yes, she's gained looks from the men aboard the ship, even from those who cared not for her presence, but at least she was cooler in the day and had at least gained a rather attractive tan.

Pausing in her reflective musing, Lupin hung the lantern on the nail once inside the cubby, falling to her hands and knees and immediately began to dig around for her art supplies, including the previous sketches she's done of Jack, and also her laptop. For a while, she had resorted to either conversation, or silence. The latter was much more often than the former, and it often chafed her at times and she itched for music. Making her own, though, made her seem silly, even when at these particular times it wasn't unusual.

And besides…

Jack said she could try something new tonight.

Lupin smiled to herself as she gathered everything up in a bundle, tucked it under her arm and with amazing dexterity, was able to juggle everything, including the flammable lantern without needing to make two or so trips.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Helloooo?"

"Come in, come in. Lupin, luv, how many times have I got to tell you, you don' have t' knock. Just…_come in._"

Grinning sheepishly, Lupin tucked her bundles under her arm a little more protectively and cleared her throat, closing the door behind her as she continued inside. "Er, sorry. Sorry, Jack. But, you know, what if you're, uh…changin' or something?"

He shrugged at her weak protests. "So? Just come in. I won't mind."

_Of course_ you _won't_. Lupin thought, rolling her eyes. Moving towards the table, she set down her sketchbooks and supplies and her laptop on top of it all. Jack looked more interested at the piece of twenty-first technology than anything.

"I've seen that thing around 'afore. Ye've never really let it get out much, 'ave you?"

Lupin nodded and flipped the clamshell open and turned it on. Immediately the soft whirring of the fan belt inside, along with the gears within began booting up. He leaned in a little more, showing a little bit more interest now that it was own.

"This…is my other life, besides my art. This thing right here, it uh, it's called a computer. It's…hard to explain. It…" She paused, gathering what she thought would sound reasonable to Jack's mind. He was an extremely intelligent man, she knew that obviously, but there were some things she might not be able to get through to him. That was what concerned her the most.

"It is…?" He raised a brow.

"It's called a computer. Now, the first ones…are going to be made in the nineteen-forties. But laptops aren't made until…I think the nineteen-nineties. Yeah, somewhere around there."

"That's a very long time from here. Care to indulge me as to why you've privileged in showing me this shiny piece of…technology?" He tapped the top of the clamshell experimentally, and Lupin cleared her throat.

"Well, computers can do all sorts of stuff. You can send letters all around the world with just the touch of the button and they'd get it within seconds. Or minutes. Whichever. It's a lot easier than writing a letter and sending it on a four month-long trip overseas, I can tell you that much. They also store…documents that you write on the computer with, and they can also store up a lot of music. I've told you how it's changed since this time, right?"

"Yes, you have. Jazz, rap, hip-hop, rock 'n roll…"

"Pop, opera, musicals. Plenty of others, but yeah, you're getting it. I can also draw on the computer, if I had a different machine plugged into it, called a tablet. I left…I left that on my ship… I left it out and it…got ruined." Lupin continued, nodding. Jack bobbed his head agreeably.

"And I'm to understand you're going to…play music on this special trinket?"

Lupin grinned. "Yeah, something like that. It's…a lot different from the stuff that you're probably used to hearing. Extremely different. I'll just…let you listen and see what you like." She did have that flittering feeling of backing down and just forgetting about turning the music on, but the whim passed on by. _I've already come this far and he seems interested enough. Can't back out now. _

The music, in a way, actually did help to relax Lupin a lot more than when she had first started the sketch sessions with Jack. She felt more relaxed, at ease, and much more comfortable. And it seemed, some of the music Lupin played Jack seemed to enjoy…she hoped. It even helped her with conversation when he was curious as to who the artist of the song was, what the song title's name was and what the implied message of the song was supposed to be. Finally, she just had to ask.

"Why are you so curious on this stuff? I mean, I know it's new and all, but do you plan on living like an immortal and living to hear all these people when they come out or something?" She had meant it to come off as a joke, but he looked at her seriously for a moment before he grinned, exposing the golden glint of his gold teeth.

"Perhaps. I might even might have already lived up to your time and you may not even know it."

At this, Lupin had to pause and think carefully on this all. Wait. If…he did live up to her time…did that mean he was Johnny Depp? She had stared at him carefully, brow raised before shaking her head. _No freakin' way._ That, in of itself, had to be impossible.

"Uh-huh, and if you were immortal, than I'm _God_." She replied snarkily, sarcasm dripping from her tone, although from her wide grin, Jack surmised she was joking.

She finished a few body sketches, poses and positions, when she realized that she didn't have many good face sketches. She had a few, but not many and she moved in closer, detailing pieces of Jack's braids and the things he had tied into them, as well as the dreadlocks. She had little practice and would have thrown away several practice sketches, if Jack hadn't claimed that they were fine, to leave them be. A part of her reasoned she could throw them out later, but the rest of her claimed it would be an unfitting waste of paper; precious resources she couldn't afford to waste or throw out.

She tucked those away in the back of her sketchbook and continued to work, with music in the background, keeping close profile on the baubles, detailing them either in charcoal or in her usual mechanical pencils. Of course, to get such details down correctly, Lupin had to sit rather…close to the man, physically having to tilt his head to and fro, getting different angles; something she wasn't used to since her few college courses in between her high school classes.

Of course, she was taking human anatomy classes, not "odd baubles and trinkets from different angles connected to braids and dreadlocks" classes. She also did steal a few chances to actually draw his face properly and up close, as well. "How much longer are you intending on staring so long like that?"

Lupin blinked; momentarily bewildered before gaining her bearings and she let go her grip on Jack's chin, moved away and scribbled down a few more details before pursing her lips. She felt his eyes on her, but she ignored the feeling.

"I think I have an idea for a pose. I'll try to get it down later tonight or maybe even tomorrow at the latest, after my lessons…" She finally declared, putting away her drawing utensils and her sketchbook. Jack stretched a bit, rolling his shoulders that she suspected were most likely very cramped from being forced into a single position for a long period of time. He made a grab for a bottle on his desk and Lupin finished packing away her sketchbook and drawing tools. She made a move towards her laptop as well, but stopped when Jack called to her from across the room.

She hadn't seen him get up, but she figured he did so when her back was turned.

Surprised, she paused.

"How about a drink, eh? Something to calm yer nerves. Y' seem a bit tense as of lately." He offered, waving a bottle good-naturedly in the air. The liquid contents within sloshed inside. Lupin reflected on that, mulling on his statement. Now that he mentioned it, she did feel a bit worked up lately. Tired. Stressed. _Annoyed._ She smiled and shrugged, giving her consent on the offer. _I won't have much. I won't stay long. What harm could it do?_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She, at first, was confused. She was…in a bed. She hadn't been in a bed for a very long while, she reasoned, and it actually felt _good_. Her body was in a relaxed state, but it was also sore, but it was a good kind of soreness; like the kind after a long workout. But, her tired, sleepy brain was still trying "_Pirates of the Caribbean_ meeting _Fullmetal Alchemist_" shenanigans had really all been a dream. It was only until then that she realized…she wasn't wearing any clothes. And, she always wore clothes to bed, whether it was simply a t-shirt and her underwear, or a pair of thick sweats and a tank top shirt. It was still dark out, but she could make out faint outlines of things in the room, that wasn't her room.

Everything was…wobbly. She heard waves and the room was moving. She heard creaking somewhere, but couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from and after fruitless searching, decided it wasn't important to be bothered with. She closed her eyes and swallowed, feeling a nasty taste in the back of her throat. She rolled her shoulders and wondered where in the hell she was and what had happened last night. What party had SHE been to, anyways?

Something then decided to drape around her bare waist and she stiffened in surprise and the thing's grip tightened. It was then that her sleep-induced, and now headache-pounding brain, realized it was an arm. And that arm was connected to a body, which was right behind her and that was what that warm thing behind her was. And what was that pounding from? What had compelled such a headache, such a migraine…such a…hangover?

Oh. OH. Right…she was having another one of those sketch sessions last night with Jack, wasn't she? Then he had offered her a drink that led…to another drink…and then another. She curled up a little more on the bed, eyes snapped open when she heard a mumble behind her and something brush up against the back of her head. It sent a chill down her spine.

_Oh, God. I didn't do what I think I did, did I? What in the hell was I_ thinking?

…

_I want my pants back, please._

The arm proceeded to tighten its grip around her middle and Lupin blinked slowly before closing them again. _I'm stuck here until he wakes up, aren't I? _

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**...Yeah. Told you it was a daft idea, didn't I? xD Was it funny? Lemme know in your review; they make me warm and fuzzy on the inside. :D**


	29. Photograph

**Chapter Twenty-Eight:  
Photograph**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Keiyou **

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**Lunatic Pandora1**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Tobi – That's What They Call Me**

**Tiggeranddash**

**Volital**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**As celebration for my MULTI-ROLEPLAYING... And for Arky-Arktos for helping beta, since poor Bishquet is swamped and stuff, I have decided to post a new chapter for _Up is Down_. :3 Arky, you're a Godsend! (Hugs tightly) Thank you! And, thank you so much for the Alphonse icons as well. There is much love. (Lol)**

**Also, I was really laughing at the responses I got. To answer some (unasked) questions, NO. Lupin and Jack will not be a couple. It was just a fling, a one-night thing. No, there will not be any babies. That's just...creepy, being your own ancestor. xD And, finally, yes there will be drama between Ed and Lupin about this matter. MUCH LATER. As in, "Third Movie" later. Very far, but it'll be all that built up aggression being let loose after being let to fester and rot and be a subject avoided for far too long. xD **

**Anyway, here is your chapter! **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking at you._  
**- Brigitte Bardot**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She twitched, unable to ignore that wide, grinning face that was merely a few feet away from her own. Food on its utensil, inches from her open, awaiting mouth, she tried to ignore it, but finally gave up and let her food drop back into her bowl with a clatter. Lupin glared at her friend, actually annoyed her with what had to be the first time in weeks. And Lupin rarely ever got annoyed with Bishquet, which was strange in and of itself, in a nutshell.

"_Yes_, can I _help_ you?" She finally managed to growl out. Her friend continued to grin, almost knowingly and the wolf merely shifted in her seat and took another few bites of her food. Bish hadn't answered yet, which all the more unnerved Lupin. She couldn't, however, ignore the fact that her friend wouldn't stop _grinning_ at her. It's long ago driven through annoyance and was barreling right through agitating.

"You banged a pirate last night, didn't you?" Bish finally replied, her voice tinted with that singsong taunting and Lupin could have sworn her heart stopped and her lungs stopped working all in one go. She spluttered on her drink and coughed violently, pounding a fist on her chest. Bish snorted and patted her on the back a few times. "Breath, you idiot, breath. God gave you lungs for a reason, ya know."

"Where in the hell do you get off talking shit like that to me in the middle of public?" Lupin finally managed to hiss to her friend in a harsh whisper, eyes darting around, embarrassed that eyes were on her and Bishquet. She wiped at the corner of her mouth and the Hispanic woman shrugged.

"Oh, I dunno, since the fact that you didn't come back last night for one, and two, you didn't make breakfast and someone else had to…doesn't that say something?"

The wolf remained silent.

"I mean, come on. It's obvious you slept with the man. We're on a ship; it's not that hard to put two and two together and figure out on a small place like this."

Lupin glanced at her friend and gave a glum face, lips twitching, brow raised and a groan building up her in throat. "Obvious, huh?"

"Yeah, really obvious, like an elephant in a pumpkin patch."

"What the fuck? Elephant in a pumpkin patch…?"

Bish shrugged. "I don't know. Don't question my analogies or my logic. You'll only hurt yourself trying."

"Wasn't gonna…" The wolf mumbled, still somewhat bewildered.

"Anyway…down to business, my dear little wolfie friend. What was it like? And please say you made him wear a condom. God only knows if he's got you-know-what's." Bish continued to grin, even as Lupin looked away, looking morbidly mortified by her continuous conversation. She paused before poking her friend in the shoulder. "Come on, now… I told you when I did the nasty. Now _you_ gotta cough up the goods. You did the last time, so what's so different about this time, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Lupin grumbled, glancing back before looking around quickly. She really looked embarrassed, and although she should be feeling guilty, she was also enjoying herself giving the wolf a little torture session. "Erm…well, it uh…"

"Don't hold back on my account, honestly. We can go somewhere private if that's what's making you choked up."

"I'm _fine_, thank you." Lupin grunted before pausing and looking around. "But, just to be safe…"

"S'what I thought, bitch."

Following the wolf, Bish waited as Lupin all but inhaled her bowl of food and dropped it off in the galley before they moved towards their usual small, enclosed work out space on the ship. Lupin sat atop a barrel and Bish leaned against the ship's hull, although she peeled herself away immediately when she felt the slickness of it all, utterly disgusted even further by her reminded state of not being able to bathe. She sneered at the ship's hull, muttering darkly under her breath in mixture of Spanish and English before turning towards her friend.

"So, come on. Cough up the goods. Was he good?"

Lupin titled her head to the side, looking quite blank in the face before she broke out grinning. "…You know that whole, "aged like wine" thing you're always spouting off about? Yeah…"

"That good, huh?"

"Dude, you have no idea. He may act like a drunken idiot at times, but…damn, he knows how to pleasure the body, honestly."

There was a pause.

"…You _did_ make him wear a condom, right?"

"Of course; I had one hiding in my art stuff. I knew it'd come in handy one day; thanks by the way, for them… Crazy birthday gift, but it's one of those "traditions in life" things. I may be young, but I'm not an idiot."

"I never said you were an idiot; I was just checking. You know how Jack likes wenches and wenches like different partners…"

"I'd be amazed if he didn't pick any up, but, in all honesty, I don't want to be a Mama Wolf with mini-Lupins and mini-Jacks running around. I'd probably kill myself before long. Besides, I really hate little kids."

"But…you 're wearing that birth control patch too, right? So, you can't really get pregnant. Plus, you're not bleeding in your pants, which is another plus." Bish replied and Lupin paused before answering.

"Yeah, I am, but I still am a bit…apprehensive. They aren't exactly a hundred percent guaranteed. Only like, ninety-nine point nine percent guaranteed…"

"Only if you're doing it like, every single day, for like, every two hours or so. And I know for a fact that you're paranoid enough with stuff like this, and you don't exactly indulge yourself in this sort of stuff constantly. You'll be fine."

"Mmm…that is true…" Lupin agreed. "Okay, so…yeah… Fine, I banged a pirate, bite me."

"Thanks, but that's Jack's job; I don't swing that way. Wait…did he give you hickeys?"

Lupin glanced away momentarily, knitting her brow slightly in embarrassment. Now that Bish was paying attention…Lupin was wearing her hair down. As in, there was no ponytail (not that she could gather any of her hair up altogether as a whole and do so like she could about a week ago), no scarf, nothing but her braids and beads. Purposely covering her neck, even. Bish raised a brow, smirking, while Lupin raised an unconscious hand up and rubbed her neck. She noticed the wince and the way she gingerly rubbed it and Bish still hadn't stopped smirking.

"He did, didn't he?"

Lupin stiffened slightly, before nodding hesitantly, smiling slightly, although it was more out of embarrassed pride. Bish's smirk turned into a wide grin.

"You whore. You are such a whore."

"Whores get paid, technically."

"And technically, they also get the goods. I'm betting you're really sore "down there", aren't you?"

Lupin nodded once again. Bish smiled. "Aww, poor dear…you probably didn't want to get up, did you?"

"…No. And technically, I was pinned, so I couldn't, even if I wanted to."

"Pinned under what, pray tell?"

"His arm. He wouldn't let go of my waist." Lupin replied, somewhat a little easier than her previous answers. The veil of uncomfortable itching had also seemed to shed away, but only slightly. Bish snickered, although the wolf didn't think it funny.

"I don't know _what_ I was thinking last night! Was I drunk or something? I mean, I only stayed longer to chat, but…" Her shoulders slumped and Bish slowly stopped laughing long enough to notice the distraught expression the wolf had been carrying heavily on her face. "I didn't even…realize. I mean…"

Bish studied Lupin's face before frowning and scooting over towards her friend. Lupin fiddled with her thumbs nervously, fidgeted more than usual and shifted in her seat more frequently, squirming. "Loopy, don't you go crying a river, do you understand me? Come on, you're always saying how you'd bang a pirate; Jack, more specifically, and now that you, well…have…you're gonna go regretting it? Don't puss out on me now."

Lupin's lips twitched and she glanced at her friend, who had now taken a seat besides her and she sighed. "I ain't regretting—,"

"You're _not_ regretting; use proper English, you're not a hick." Bish interrupted. Lupin gritted her teeth, but said nothing towards the interruption.

"I'm _not_ regretting anything. I just…can't believe I did something so…freakin' reckless. I mean, I've done some stupid shit in the past, but uh…I think this one takes the cake." Lupin continued sharply.

"Yeah, but I think it's one of those _good_, stupid shitty things to add to the list." Bish inputted helpfully, only to earn a mild glare from Lupin.

"Look…I didn't expect it to go that way, all right? But, I, uh…"

"Jack is an expert womanizer; if he can woo you, Miss Independent, than he could probably sure as hell woo me. But, I don't allow for it, since I'm somewhat…"intimidated" by your possessiveness. Besides, I've got my eyes one someone else." Bish replied carefully, although she added a friendly wink towards the wolf; who scowled slightly. "Don't be such a sour-faced bitch. Lighten up; you did what you said you'd one day do. You banged _Captain_ Jack Sparrow. Be happy."

"Ah, say that to every other wench from around the world; I'm sure they're happy, too." Lupin snorted. Bish rolled her eyes and flicked Lupin upside the head. The wolf winced and cringed away, looking at Bish with wide, surprised eyes.

"The hell was _that_ for?"

"For acting like an idiot, for one, and for acting like a sour-faced bitch for another. Seriously, pick yourself out of this self-pity ditch and come help me with some sword stuff. You're a little demon freak for this stuff, you know?"

Lupin sighed and shook her head before wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders, leaning her head against Bish. "I know…thanks." She muttered quietly. Bish returned the hug and squeezed Lupin's smaller shoulders.

"No problem. Come on, now, I know you can walk; I saw you do it."

"It hurts, though." The wolf whined dejectedly.

"Well, then at least come up and watch me fall on my ass. I know you'll get a kick outta that."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She was, once again, at her computer, reusing the solar panel charger. Lupin didn't know how it did it, exactly; all she knew was that she could set it in the sun, gather up energy, and somehow, it transferred that energy up to her computer. She had only gotten it…two months before the trip to the Caribbean. It's worked wonders when she couldn't use her cord…not that she could now, where would she plug it in? So, the solar thingy was all she had, and it was used not just by her, but also by Bish as well. She just really hoped it wouldn't kill her computer or the charger itself from the sudden usage if presented.

Clattering away at a speed that was normal for Lupin, she had her music plugged in, sitting in the semi-dark, only lit by the computer's screen. She had her inspiration to write.

_Patter, patter, patter,_ went the keyboard.

She paused in between, took a small, sparing sip of a bottle of water she had claimed as hers (she even got out a fat black sharpie and wrote _**LUPIN**_ in bold letters on it) so that no one could take it randomly. She set the bottle back down, capped it, and changed her music.

But, before she could continue playing it, and going back to her work, she heard footsteps approaching and she paused her music, set aside the laptop, and took out her headphones. Sticking her head out, Lupin spotted Edward and grinned. He almost didn't notice her, but finally saw her, although he didn't return the smile she was giving him. She faltered.

"Something wrong?" She asked, a little uncertain by his blank gaze. He shrugged, said nothing and turned back the way he came, hand pulling out of his pocket. Something fluttered out after his hand, and fell to the floor. Lupin stared at it for a moment, then after Ed's retreating back. He hadn't noticed and it took Lupin a moment to register that whatever the slip of paper was, it had fallen from his right side; he couldn't exactly feel it with his hand.

She got up and pattered softly, barefoot, towards the object and picked it up. It was a photograph. She stared at it, surprised.

Of course, she instantly recognized Edward and Alphonse in the picture, Edward's brother, and not Alfonse Heiderich. Noa was in the picture as well, and Lupin stared at three more faces. Officer Hughes, Gracia, and then a little girl… The name Elicia immediately came to mind.

Then the hair on the back of her neck prickled, and she felt like someone was watching her. She looked up immediately, and blanched, noticing it was none other than Edward. She swallowed, feeling sheepish before holding out the worn and slightly creased photograph to him. At first, he didn't respond, merely staring at her with that impassive, blank stare before slowly reaching for the picture and he pocketed it.

"So, um…who were those other people in the picture?" She asked, hoping that the question would at least break the uncomfortable and awkward silence. His lips twitched. Then he withdrew the photograph again and held it out to her, pointing to the first person, other than himself or Alphonse. He cleared his throat.

"That's Noa, right there. It was taken before…" He paused, thinking. "About a month or two before we left for America. Over here's Gracia, and Gracia's husband, Maes Hughes; the little girl is their daughter, Elicia."

_So, he did marry her. Lucky guy._ Lupin thought and she grinned, drinking in the scene. The little girl clung to her mother, shyly staring at the cameraman, while Gracia looked down at her daughter with a smile, mouth slightly open, as if to encourage her to smile, while Hughes had a hand on Gracia's shoulder, smiling fondly at the both of them, instead of the camera. Alphonse was smiling, looking a little younger, and a little more boyish. Edward looked slightly disgruntled, but was smiling ever so slightly, nonetheless.

But…the two of them there and the two of them now looked so radically different. And now that Lupin thought about it, they both had no more, well, baby fat on their faces, as it were. Their faces were more angled, sharper, leaner even. And the same could be said about their bodies as well. But the fire in both the brothers' eyes remained, constant and vigilant.

Lupin continued to smile before she backed away, and he pocketed the photograph once again. "Noa's very…pretty. Was she your girlfriend?" She asked teasingly. Ed's face tightened up, his jaw slightly clenched and he glanced at her with a look of contempt.

"_No_, she is _not_. She was just a friend who was traveling with us." He growled. Lupin was slightly taken aback by his gruff tone, and she blinked, frowning.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, before adding as an apology, "I mean, I didn't mean to be so—,"

"It's nothing." He replied, somewhat softer before turning away.

"You're a terrible liar." She pressed, following. He ignored her. Lupin pattered after him still. "And 'nothing' is _always_ something. Tell me."

"It's nothing, leave it alone."

"If it's nothing, there shouldn't be anything to be left alone. What is it?" Lupin continued. He turned, glaring. She stopped. "I'm going to pick your brain until you tell me." She stated boldly, staring right back in a mocking manner.

"It's nothing, all right? It's…nothing."

"You're lying again." Lupin replied.

"So?" He snapped.

"Why won't you talk about it?"

"Because…!" He took another breath, as if to calm himself from snapping at her. "It's nothing you should be concerned about, all right? It's nothing."

Lupin frowned and her shoulders slumped. _You're doing it again._ She scolded herself. _Prying when he obviously doesn't trust you. Stop it._

Finally, she nodded and backed off. "Okay…fine." She responded. She didn't like this feeling of him not exactly trusting her. She also didn't like that she shouldn't be prying, and yet she still did it. _Was it because I looked at something I wasn't supposed to?_

…_No. It couldn't be that. He was acting like this before I even saw it. _

She found herself back at the cubby, somehow retreating away from the elder Elric without even knowing it. Then she curled right back up in her spot, laptop on her lap, the cursor blinking, waiting for her inspiration to come back. It didn't.

She turned it off, set the computer aside, and tugged the charger off before replacing it back into the bag it belonged in. Lupin curled up on her cot, just lying there, closing her eyes and thinking of how and why she had ended up sleeping with the captain. Sure…jokes and jabs at school were fun… But it had really happened last night.

She had been drinking. Something, under normal circumstances, in her own little time period, she wouldn't have done. Here, it seemed, rules and standards shifted and flip-flopped. Drinking was normal. She didn't drink much, mostly because of the nagging knowledge that alcohol only made you thirstier, but she indulged in maybe…one or two drinks, but nothing too threatening to her health and her sobriety.

She had been drinking. She had been talking after the drawing session, and…then it came down the kissing and a little touching…and then it moved to a lot more. She scrunched up her face and curled up a little more. She didn't sulk. She didn't want to, really. She remembered Bish's words from earlier that morning. She refused to sulk and regret. It felt good, dammit, and she had felt surprisingly lonely. A night of comfort and a morning of a killer headache was enough of a price to pay just to be wanted, even for a little bit, right?

Lupin sat up and looked at the ceiling, sighing. And dammit, that man was good. She had only imagined before, but damn… No wonder Jack's normal ladies hated him one minute, but forgave and loved him up the next.

But it began to get her thinking about, well…what the hell was gonna happen next, exactly. It wasn't going to be lovey-dovey, no; that wouldn't be Jack at all. Maybe he'd pretend nothing had happened and just move on with his life. She didn't like the idea of being used, but if that were the case…she'd probably just have to accept it, although how bitter she'll be when she finds out if this were true or not depended on her mood at the time.

_Should I conveniently forget the drawing session for tonight to just…relax? Escape? _

Lupin curled back up on the cot again. But she sat right back up almost instantly at the ruffle of the curtains and Ed was standing there, looking down at her. Once again, he had that blankness set upon his skin, but a book was in his hand. She stared at it for a moment, before looking back up at Ed.

"Listen…can I ask you a favor?"

She sat up a little straighter. "Sure…depends on what it is." She answered, albeit a little cautiously. He held the book out to her.

"Could you…hold onto this for a little while? I don't want to come back to find it missing one day, and I think this is the one safest place on the ship for it to be."

She stared at the little book. It was leather bound, worn out, and used up. The photograph from earlier had a corner sticking out, and Lupin could see a bit of Gracia's hair. She looked back up at him before cautiously taking it.

"I won't read it." She finally said. He shrugged, indifferent.

"It won't really matter. You wouldn't be able to decipher it."

She blinked, confused, looking down at the booklet and then looked back up. Ed was gone. She stared at the book again, and for a moment, played with the idea of popping it open and taking a look. She shifted the photograph around to fit more comfortably in the book and glanced at the page it was in while doing so.

Lupin blinked again.

Ed was right…

She couldn't really make out what it was until she realized it was his little alchemy text.

_He's had this all along?_ She almost didn't even recognize it. And she had almost forgotten about it as well. She closed it and stared at the cover, staring at the faded, but still recognizable, engraved Flamel symbol. She ran her fingers over it, before realizing he was trusting her to keep this safe; a book from his world, and a single photo he had of the people he missed (other than Al) from his time period. She swallowed, feeling humbled by this notion. She opened it again, flipping quietly through the pages.

Lupin continued frowning, unable to make heads or tails of his neatly scrawled notes before she gave up, closed it once again and shuffled around to find a place for the little book. At first, she thought it would be safe by the other books, but then thought it was…special. It shouldn't be getting moldy alongside hers and Bish's books (they tried to keep them all in the best of conditions that they could, given their situation). So, she turned around, found her book bag and flipped its lid to deposit the book in the small compartment, snuggled beside her pencil case.

She smiled before closing it up and standing up to leave the cubby, listening carefully to the number of bells being rung.

It was time to make dinner.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**I was tempted to use **_**Photograph**_** by **_**Nickelback**_** for this chapter, but it seemed a little bit too cliché. x3 **

**Don't forget to review now! It takes almost two minutes, maybe less than that, to send one in! Don't hesitate! Do it now; all the cool readers are doing it! xD (Lol) Haha- (Shot)**


	30. Tripoli

**Tripoli**

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**WhiteWingAlchemist**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Ugh. Just UGH. I apologize, profusely, for the long, over-due wait for this chapter. In fact, I had completely forgotten I had written this, along with several other chapters. Getting myself to write for the movie, however, was difficult, and I have only bits of the chapter that is several ahead, done. And this is the part where **_**Dead Man's Chest**_** is introduced, as well as Elizabeth, Will, Lord Beckett and all them other goodies. **

**Also, for those who haven't heard, I'm going to be joining the Marine Corps, come August, so updates will be put off for a full three or even more, months. Writing will stop indefinitely while I am away in boot camp and I haven't the foggiest when I shall be able to take it back up, but I will try to continue sometime soon after I graduate.**

**So, without further ado…**

**OOH-RA! (Total dork alert, watch out! xD)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Travelers never think that _they_ are the foreigners.  
**- Mason Cooley**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They arrived at Tripoli three days later, after all strange events. Lupin, although she had been fretful and apprehensive, continued her sketch sessions, and Jack had acted like before; indifferent and normal (whatever normal was in his little world) and like a good little art subject should. Lupin, surprisingly, had no reaction to it. She said nothing in regards to the situation at all, and neither did Jack; she merely continued on, as did he. However, Lupin did realize how…distant Edward had been acting.

There was always that same blank wall plastered on his face whenever he was within her presence. It unnerved her even more when she asked what was wrong, and the answer would always be the same: he was fine, there was nothing wrong, and that she didn't need to worry, that it wasn't her business to. She wanted…so much…to just throw out the maturity she had forced herself to chew upon, shake him viciously, ruffle and baffle him enough to weasel out the answers from him. She held her reserve, though…and instead, complained to Bishquet of her woes and bemoaning.

"Surprised you're not bitching about Jack."

"Well, I don't have anything to complain about him. It's Edward that I'm getting pissed off about."

Bish laid down in the cubby, stretching out and arching her back, that twinge of pain first, then the settled satisfaction of relief swelling around her lower back. She took in a very deep breath and shrugged as best she could in her position before slowly untangling herself, sitting up and glancing at her moody little friend.

"Well, if he wants to self-mutilate his own mind, that's his problem. Don't make it yours; that is all I can say. Whatever's going on in his head, it probably is his problem and just…doesn't want you to worry about it. If that is the case, it's actually nice of him." She replied finally, stretching her toes next. She sighed.

"Don't think about it, all right? Let's just enjoy our time on shore; I know you miss land about as much as me. Come on, I know you do. We'll be allowed to go poke around and look for a bathhouse or at least a place with soap and a wooden tub, for all I care. At least we'll be able to get cleaned. Hey…"

Bishquet paused in her reminiscing on the ideal of a bath and grinned, tapping her chin thoughtfully. She glanced down at her attire; streaked with grime and sweat stains and other kinds of stains she didn't know how she'd gotten, nor did she want to find out about. The edges of her jeans near the ankles were torn to hell, tattered, and now they no longer were anywhere near the level they once had been. They were almost up to her calves now; save for the sparse scraps of cloth. Lupin's clothes were in a state similar, if a little bit worse, as hers. Bishquet picked at her shirt delicately.

"You know…our clothes kind of make us stand out… And, I know this'll make the suggestion all the more…cliché, but how about we, well…get some new clothes for the both of us? I mean, like, at least a new shirt and pair of pants. Maybe some…boots for me. I can't walk around with, like, sandals all the freakin' time, ya know? And, I know you'll want a pair of your own, too…"

Lupin glanced at Bishquet, her interest piqued at the suggestion. She glanced down at her own state of clothing and saw what Bish saw: tattered, worn clothing that had definitely seen better days. She sighed and lay down in a similar position Bish had been in moments before. She stared up at the ceiling, lips drawn into a thin line.

"I guess…but, we're both like, tiny and stuff…sure, I'm sure they'll have like, ratty little dresses maybe in our sizes, but we'll need men's clothes to work a little more efficiently. And we both got tiny feet, too… I'm a size five and a half, for God's sakes."

Bish sighed, patting Lupin on the head. "I know. I'm sure we can, somehow, work it out. I mean, we can go barefoot while we're on the ship and all; there's no real danger except for maybe an idiot throwing glass bottles around, but other than that, it's not like a random-ass rusty nail is just sticking up, conveniently right where we walk every freakin' day. We wouldn't even need boots, really; just regular shoes."

Lupin sighed again.

"And, I dunno about you, but for one, I think I'd like something new, just for now. A shirt, a pair of pants that'll fit my ass…"

Lupin snorted. "You have a nice ass, if you don't think it weird of my saying so."

"Thank you, and so do you. Anyway, I still think it'd be a good idea. Sure, it'll be hard finding our sizes; especially yours; you're like, nearly…dwarf-sized—,"

"Am not!" Lupin retorted in a whiny voice. Bish snorted and flicked her friend upside the head.

"And you're tiny, in general, like Marty, it may be a little difficult, but not impossible. I'm just saying, maybe it'd be best if we had clothes that can last long; our jeans, once they get rips in them, they won't stop, if you're not careful. You have rips in both the knees AND at the ankles, and with you always either working out, practicing your fighting, and climbing up and down the…the…shroud thingies, you're bound to wear and tear them."

Lupin pursed her lips again. Once again, Bish proved a harsh negotiator, and it took her to say all of these things just to convince her. Sure, Lupin's thought on it, but has never really said anything on it, nor mentioned anything about taking action upon it at all. She rolled over and curled up next to Bish.

"I guess…it would be best to get something more…this-century. If that makes sense."

"It makes perfect sense, hun. I know you like your blue jeans, and your pretty little tank tops, but you've gotta admit, we'd probably fit in a helluva lot better if we had those nifty shirts and pants and belts and stuff. I mean, well, we could fit in as best as we could, considering our gender… But, if you hid it well enough, you could…probably pass as a boy…kinda. Maybe…if you lose the girly earrings, and perhaps that chocker thingy and…well, all the jewelry, actually."

Bish tilted Lupin's face a little more towards her and frowned. "Hmm…your face is a little…feminine, slightly. I dunno. I was just thinking out loud. It's not as…heart-shaped as before, but it's still got that girly quality about it. Whatever. Don't listen to me; I was just, you know, thinking out loud. But yeah, we should try some new clothes, seriously. We can at least feel a little clean, you know, for a little while at least."

She paused. "Actually, not just us, but the guys as well. I mean, I know for a fact Al doesn't have a change of clothes to slip into, and the same goes for Ed. They need it more than us."

Bish sighed and patted Lupin on the head and the wolf rested her head on her friend's shoulder.

"I suppose…we could get some new clothes. I'll talk to Ed and Al and see what they think."

"I've already talked to Al an hour or so ago about it. He'll tell Ed. He's actually the one who suggested it, so you should thank him for the idea. I just needed to tell you."

"Oh. Okay. I think I might want to get some little beads, too, for my hair."

Lupin picked at a long tendril; one of the few strands that she could probably have a few beads weaved into. Bish picked at Lupin's hair experimentally.

"Your hair's getting into mats…kinda like dreadlocks. You should brush it before you look like a living hair disaster."

"You're one to talk…"

"I know, and that's why I'm gonna brush my hair before we go…or at least attempt to. You do NOT know how hard it is to maintain this evil jungle."

"At least you have half-naked men like Rudy Youngblood running around in your hair like it's the Mayan jungle." Lupin snickered. Bish grinned.

"Oh, yeah, huh? I wonder where he went…" She pulled at a clump of hair. Lupin continued to snicker, leaning back and helping pick at the mass.

"I think he just went past your ear over there. No, never mind, that was a jaguar."

They fell into a fit of laughter, laughing at nonsense jokes before slowly settling down, pausing at a shout from the deck.

"You finished that list, hun? We'll need to pick up supplies before we can disperse in any luxuries."

Lupin sighed before digging into her bag, pulling out a worn piece of paper; the list of certain foods needed to be replaced. There wasn't much, really. Perhaps pick up another sheep, grab a special spice or restock on fruit—Lupin wanted some apples—or maybe some vegetables. The meats would be fine for a little while longer, but they were getting more, along with tack. Fresh water and alcohol were also on the list. Lupin stared at it.

"I wish we had some soda left…I really miss DP. I think I'm on withdrawal here." She whimpered. Bish patted her friend on the head.

"You'll be fine. Just a couple more weeks and then it's off to Tia Dalma's place. We'll be left in her hands, and we'll be home in two shakes of the ass."

Lupin wisely chose not to question that last bit of the plan, but otherwise nodded wholeheartedly on it all. "I know she'll be able to help us. I have this feeling that she'll be able to get us home…"

Bish paused again, listening. She squeezed Lupin's shoulder and stood. "Come on, it's time to go. We're docked."

Lupin stared up at her friend momentarily, looked down at the list, then tucked it away into the band of her jeans and hid it under her shirt, nodding. "Okay. Let's go."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The streets of Tripoli weren't as…clean, as Spain or Cagliari had been. Well, both Spain and Cagliari hadn't been very cleanly either, but Tripoli was a bit worse for wear. Tipsy shacks and buildings made of stone or mud lined the land, heightened by the sloping hills. Off in the distance, deep grooves of golden sands glittered; curving and slithering like thick, fat tawny snakes. Livestock was going through the streets, corralled back their pens where the farmers kept them.

Edward and Alphonse followed both Lupin and Bishquet, as they had done so in the previous cities; first they went and ordered supplies before rushing off into the town to explore and regain their land legs back. Lupin had stopped at a vendor, staring at the selection of a few pets for sale, although the consistency included parrots. She eyed a few African grays with intriguing interest.

A man was seated under a thatched little roof made by sticks and palm tree leaves. Flies buzzed around and the birds paced on their little pedestals in their little cages, heads bobbing, and their eyes darting around rapidly. One of the birds, which Lupin suspected to be some sort of hawk or eagle, hissed at her, glaring at her from behind steely eyes. Edward shifted uncomfortably beside the young woman and Bish had found more interest in the beads across the small street market.

The man watched Lupin with lazy, but interested eyes and he sat up carefully and spoke to her in a language she didn't understand. There was an assortment of clicking and clucking of the tongue, though, which intrigued the wolf. Edward looked about as lost as her and they both exchanged glances before he shrugged.

Lupin turned back to the man and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't understand you." She said apologetically. The man stared for a moment, grinned—revealing badly cared for teeth; yellowed with age and stained from years of use—and then turned towards a small mud hut, yelling. His birds screeched, but otherwise remained still.

A young man, lithe and thin as the one under the marketing vendor, came jauntily trotting out and he looked to the man, who reverted to the clicking and clucking language, motioning towards her and Edward, and then to the young man himself. He nodded, shielding his eyes from the sun. Lupin noticed the calloused hand and wondered what kind of work did he do to earn such hard looking hands. _Perhaps he's a farmer? I'm sure there are fields somewhere…_

The young man trotted towards them, the older man following slowly.

"I am sorry, young miss; my father does not speak any English. I do, but only a little. I learned from some English sailors when I was a boy."

He was rough around the edges and sounded uncertain of his words, but Lupin thought he was doing all right. She smiled reassuringly.

"You're doing all right, all things considering." She replied easily, silently relieved that there was at least one English-speaking native here. The young man smiled back and nodded towards the birds.

"You are interested in bird? I show you good ones. My father and I raised them ourselves; they are good birds."

_Bish would kill me if I bought one…but… I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I held one of them…_

Before she could answer, however, Edward took the liberty of answering for her.

"Sorry, we're not interested. She was just browsing."

The young man's dark face fell and he looked as if he were a puppy that just got kicked in the gut. Lupin referred the look to as, "puppy got kicked" eyes.

"Well, if it'd be all right, can I hold one of the birds? I used to have some as a kid and I'm…a little nostalgic to hold one. One of the gray ones, if it's all right."

"What're you doing? You already have a damned bird on the ship."

"It's not mine; it's Mr. Cotton's and I don't hold him that often. Besides…" Lupin paused, reminiscing on her old bird, Jauhlie. It's been so long since she's thought of her bird… "I used to have one, just like those ones over there. I just…want something to hold and be reminded of her…"

Edward studied the young woman's face before sighing loudly. "Fine. Just make it quick, all right?"

She smiled and returned to the confused young man. She nodded. "The gray one over there; can I hold him?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The jewelry was actually creative looking and beautifully crafted to boot; hand made, too. They weren't manufactured in a factory, oh no; these things had sweat and blood and the very heart and soul of the creator poured into them. Bish thought that the designs were simplistic, yet enjoyable; there were bright colors splashed in there, and she couldn't help but hold up the small wears up and stare at them in wonder.

She smiled at it. It wasn't exactly rare to find vendors who made their own wares, but it was rare to find someone whose wares were authentic from three hundred years in the past. This kind of stuff was holed up in museums or sold at very high prices at auctions and only the rich could afford them.

Alphonse picked up one that looked like a cat with spots and laughed. "Aw, how cute."

Bish smiled and the woman who was in charge of the vendor laughed. She couldn't speak any English, but she enjoyed the young man's enthusiasm and she reached for it, clicking and babbling away in that language of hers. Alphonse held it back and the woman undid the beaded chain, holding it up and pointing to the little wooden and rock beads encircling the chain, most likely explaining the details of the work.

She then held it out to him, the little cat dangling. Bish chuckled. "I think she wants you to try it on."

"Oh…all right then. Here…" He lowered his head and the woman grinned again, revealing a toothless smile and she pushed the necklace over his head, pointing the cat and then to him, continuing on.

"Translation?" He joked, turning to Bish. She shrugged.

"Don't look at me, I don't have a clue what the hell she's saying. Maybe something about it protecting you?" She paused. "I think it might be a leopard. I mean, in Mayan and Aztec cultures, the jaguar was a revered creature of their mythology, really high up there on the "top dog" list. Maybe the leopard is the same here. I don't know, though, I'm just guessing. I think Lupin might know, but I'm not sure. We can ask her later."

"Well, it's certainly a nice way to look at things." He turned back to the woman and held up the little necklace, staring at the cat-like design with a soft eye. Finally he dug out the few coins he had been paid with and offered it to the woman. "Here. I'll take it."

The woman stared for a moment before shaking her head and pushing his hand away. She spoke again, softer and Alphonse frowned and hesitantly withdrew his hand.

"Um…"

"I think it's a gift, Alphonse. Just nod your head and say thanks." Bish offered helpfully and he glanced at her with a raised brow. The woman smiled that toothless grin again.

"Thank you." He finally said, smiling sincerely. The woman just bobbed her head, smiling and then looked to Bish, offering a withered hand towards the other handcrafted wares. _Well…_ Bish thought, momentarily glancing back to see Lupin, predictably, coddling one of the parrots from across the ways, and Edward just a few stalls down the street. _I can't exactly refuse a gift, now can I? Especially something decent and nice-looking as this stuff…_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

There wasn't much here in this little village. There was farming, to be sure; to have livestock, you had to have farming. Otherwise, everything would die off. And there had to be a fresh water source, too, maybe a well somewhere, or even a river close by. They couldn't survive off ocean water. Tripoli wasn't impressively large or grandeur as Spain had been. The small Italian island had actually been rather demure, but full of quaint life. It had that more homely affect to the atmosphere and Spain had been bustling with life.

Here it was simply hanging onto to life.

Edward glanced over his shoulder, first checking on the bird-intoxicated Lupin, then to his brother and Bishquet hanging over by the old crone's jewelry wares. He stared down at the assorted little knives on the rickety little table before him, frowning. The white ones were made of pure ivory; he knew that because it wasn't illegal to poach for them in this time period. He picked one up that had the carving of an elephant into it; the same creature that the knife's handle had been killed from to make this knife. He set it down, feeling slightly uneasy. They didn't have animals like these in Amestris, but it was still unnerving to believe that animals here existed. If he were sixteen again and someone were to try to explain what the hell an elephant was to him, he'd probably stare at them in a flabbergasted manner.

The small, beady-eyed man watched him carefully, waiting. Edward said nothing to him so far, and so the man had nothing said to Edward. It had been a quiet exchange. Edward picked through the varying swords as well and frowned. In the 1920s, these wouldn't be sold out on the streets in Germany; that was for sure. Weaponry would be illegal to sell openly on the streets, where children could merely pickpocket the knives and the swords used as an excuse to pick a fight. It had been desperate times, although America was booming, creatively speaking. The Roaring Twenties, he heard it was called; literary works, art, philosophy, music even…

They were all being created and the attentiveness of it all was bursting at the seams.

Harlem especially had been a big boom considering it's large African American population in that concentrated area in New York City. He remembered strolling through that section of the city with his brother, and he felt somewhat…exposed there. Maybe it was because of the color of his skin, compared to the wave of dark-faced people on the streets. Maybe it was something else.

But, he did admit, the place was teaming with intellect and creativeness. Writers wrote, artists painted, musicians sang and played their blues and jazz pieces… It had been lively, in all honesty, but he hadn't any tastes for that kind of music at all. Then again, most of the crap Lupin or Bish listened to weren't much of his style, either; it was just nonsensical noise to him.

He sighed, shutting out the nostalgia of it all. He missed where it was familiar. Here, he was still learning the rules to the games, and he was still trying to figure out the other players. His brother was the only familiar territory.

Edward set down another knife, and then picked up another one, not really paying attention.

Lupin and Bish, he found, were still as unfamiliar as Jack. They were hiding something. He had gone over it a thousand times, and then a thousand times again. He wanted to know what. Where did they hear of him and his brother? Surely they must have heard his name somewhere, in a text, along with Alfonse _Heiderich_, but Alphonse _Elric_ should not be in any texts at all. He had dropped his research in rocketry, and left his notes to whoever fancied upon them. It wasn't like he was coming back to claim them, no. Besides, most of them were Alfonse's designs and they were excluded for his credits. Edward merely dropped off the face of the science world after the young man's death, and the encounter with the Thule Society…

No… They knew more than just what they could have read in a mere history text. He was sure of it. The way they had composed themselves around himself and his brother…it was too comfortable.

He picked up a different knife and this time, actually focused on it. It was dark wood, splotched with reddish tints, but Edward was sure it was just the color of the wood and nothing else. It was rich in design and sleek. A snarling muzzle greeted his face and he stared, twisted it over in his hands. A lion's head; there it was, the mane, the aggressive snarled face, the angry yet regal looking eyes. The teeth were set in a jagged fashion and he stared, eyes running over the length of the blade. When he looked at it as a whole, it was crude in design, but it was efficient and effective in its vicious, silent message.

The Lion: King of the Beasts.

He turned to glance back at Lupin, who had been joined by Bishquet and Alphonse. Lupin was easily holding the bird, petting it while she talked to the other two. She laughed, and stared at something his brother was holding up from his chest.

The man behind the stall he was in front of called for his attention and Edward averted his eyes back to the old man. He was still holding the knife. He frowned and glanced back at Lupin.

_She had been complaining about that knife in the galley… _He thought momentarily, glancing at the one in his hand. However, this knife wasn't something one used merely for cutting up vegetables and meat with; it looked more decorative, but the blade was sharpened to a fine point. He figured it was for it's other uses as well. There were other more bland knifes as well, the designs of the wood graceful, but demure.

He set down the lion one and looked at them before picking back up the lion knife, silently considering it. _I guess it would benefit the galley more than Lupin herself… She's complained a lot about almost losing a finger or two a few times… _

And he would divulge on the issue, it wasn't as if he hadn't had his share of complaints about the thing. He did notice how it was dull and the blade seemed ready to be shaken apart and ready to come out of its handle casing…

He turned to the man in the stall, pulling out a simple knife, and holding out the lion one.

"These two, right here." He stated. The man stared at him through narrowed eyes before nodding and motioning for the payment. Edward shook out the coins that the two were worth.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The bird, surprisingly, was very well behaved. Lupin had half-expected a misdemeanor, nippy little thing, ready to peck her eyes out. But instead, she had been given a very calm and shuffling, mannered parrot. It honestly surprised her and it was a joy to cuddle the thing. She immediately began to preen the thing, the plastic-like casings of its incoming feathers crumbling beneath her fingers and covering them in powder. She inhaled its sweet scent and the bird warbled in her ear nonsensical little nothings.

Craning its head, the African gray scratched its head, straightened and screeched before pacing on Lupin's hand. She cuddled it again and the bird's eyes closed as she pet it in the right spots, relaxing.

"Who's a good boy, who's a good boy? You're a good boy, yes you are…" She whispered gently into its ear.

"Lupin, you know we talked about this."

Lupin winced at the voice and reluctantly turned, pouting. "But…but he's so adorable!"

"Yes, ALL birds are adorable to you, just like cats are to Alphonse, but that doesn't mean we're getting one of both worlds on the ship to appease you both, now does it?"

Lupin pouted like a child all the same at the logic.

"No…"

"That's right. When we leave, put him back."

"Yes'm…" Lupin paused before looking at the necklace her friend had around her neck, and then the one Alphonse had. "Hey, where'd you get those?"

"Over there. The lady's really nice. Maybe she'll give you one." Al replied. Lupin considered this for a moment while the parrot on her hand wiggled its beak back and forth.

"I think I will, thanks. Hey, lemme see…"

Alphonse held up the necklace and Lupin grinned, staring at the detail. "That's beautiful…is it a…cheetah? Or is it a leopard?"

"I think it's a leopard. I dunno. I got this one, though. I think this is amber."

Lupin petted the bird as she studied the necklaces before she raised a hand to her silver pentagram; complete with the tiny little black pearl in the middle of it. "I think I'm fine with my necklace right now… But I might go browsing in a minute."

"It is a pretty necklace… Does it mean anything in particular?"

"It does…my friend gave it to me. Ironically enough, his name is Edward." She grinned at the look of surprise on Alphonse's face. "It's no joke. He gave it to me in my first year of high school. It's called a pentagram and from my research, it's a sign of the Wiccans, if I remember correctly. It's supposed to represent balance of the elements: the spirit being the head, and the arms and legs representing the elements of earth, water, wind and fire." Lupin explained and Bishquet bobbed her head.

"That sounds more or less correct; I think I remember Shade telling me this once or twice…and you of course, so this conversation is nothing new to me."

Al laughed and the bird screeched. All except Lupin, who for some reason seemed more immune to its effects, winced. She finally brushed off her clothes and reluctantly handed off the parrot to the disappointed son and father. They must have been hoping to sell off one of their personally raised birds.

"Bye, baby, remember that you're a pretty bird."

The bird screeched again, but the son and father, like Lupin, seemed immune to its high-pitched noise. Bish merely shook her head when Lupin turned back to them, just as Edward was approaching.

"God, you are such a freak."

Lupin paused at this, then shrugged, bobbing her head in agreement, grinning more or less about it as well.

"Yeah…I guess I am."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Okay, now I have a mission for y'all... **

**Ready?**

**...Review to show your love. That's basically it. And you can berate me for being super-late on this update. xD It'll be a win-win on both ends. So, yeah, I'm a review whore; please send for the poor. xD**


	31. Captured

**Captured**

**Reviewers: **

**KageArai**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**ResidentPyromaniac**

**Saerphe**

**Lizzie Lou**

**Shinzochi**

**Silentmoondemon**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**(Sigh) I'm glad I'm getting this posted. I know y'all are probably glad, too. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I definitely enjoyed writing it...way the fuck back...like, I don't remember where. xD Sorry, I'm retarded, I know. Anyway, new chapter, enjoy it and then please review at the end of the chapter. I won't be posting another chapter for a few weeks, so the more reviews, the more I'll be likely to post the next chapter sooner. If you catch my drift. x)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold._  
**- Helen Keller**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Your food's getting cold."

Lupin blinked at his comment. Edward frowned. "Your food; it's getting cold. You should finish it off before it gets too cold."

She stared at him, momentarily looking like a lost child before she looked down at her food, and picked at it. She frowned. "I'm not that hungry…"

"You're looking thinner than usual. You should eat more."

"Who're you calling too thin? I ain't about to slip into the cracks of the earth, you know." She grunted back.

"I'm just saying. We don't exactly need you dying of malnutrition. Here…" He reached over and pulled out an apple, of all things, and handed it to her while taking her bowl. "At least eat that; you should avoid scurvy. It's caused by a deficiency of—,"

"Eating fruits and vegetables, I get it. I know." Lupin finished and she sighed, taking it. "Fine. I'll eat this."

She had yet to take a bite.

He looked up at the sky and sighed himself. "It's been a long couple of weeks…"

"I know…" She answered quietly, pausing. "I think it's maybe…August. I don't remember. I've lost track of time."

He laughed. "Yeah, so have I. Don't worry about it."

They sat in silence again, listening to Bishquet and Alphonse; they were still commencing in their lessons, engrossed in exchanging vocabulary or even speaking in full sentences in different languages. It was funny how one spoke in Spanish and the other replied in Italian or French. Bish was getting exceptionally good with the latter and Alphonse with the former.

Lupin got up and winced. Once again, she neglected the thought of her abused muscles and still-hurt ankles. Her ankles were probably bleeding now, again. She had been so far been decent in hiding her pain. However, today just had to be hot, and it has made her sweaty and the salt in her sweat was stinging the open wounds. "You're limping."

She cringed at the accusation, but she said nothing. She crunched on the apple in her hand instead. Ed stared at her with those hard amber eyes.

"Did you hurt yourself?"

She shrugged. "Not intentionally, no."

"Where?"

"Why does it matter to you?" She asked, slightly forceful. Ed remained silent for a moment before sighing.

"I was just worried. Is that a crime?"

Lupin was taken aback by his comment and stopped chewing. She finally conceded and hitched up her left pant leg of her jeans, gingerly rolling down the sock that hid the bandages she had to wrap around her ankles herself.

He hissed when he saw the blood and she frowned. "I didn't even notice…"

"What in the hell have you been doing?"

"Nothing much. I ain't gonna say." She replied, enforcing in her tone that she wouldn't talk about it. Ed wisely decided not to push it.

"You need to clean that. Sterilize it with some alcohol; it's the best thing we have right now." He said, although it sounded more like he was thinking out loud. He then stood up and yanked her up along with him and proceeded to drag her along behind her. "Come on, we're going to take care of this, the right way."

"I don't need your help," Lupin growled.

"Just shut up and come on." He rumbled back, tugging on her. Lupin pursed her lips, but said nothing. Although she _did_ notice when Bish and Al had stopped and were staring at her and Ed before she disappeared below decks with him.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Edward finally was able to quell Lupin's protests by threatening to drag Bish into the equation. She shut up pretty quickly, but still glared at him defiantly. Closer examination revealed she was just about as neglectful as…as…well, he was. He was surprised at the connection, but pushed it out of his mind for the time being. He poured some of the ship's stash of rum on the rag in his hand. Then he wrapped dripping rag around Lupin's left ankle. She hissed in pain through a clenched jaw.

"Sorry. I know it probably stings."

She said nothing, and merely nodded. He was no medical doctor, hell, far from it… But he at least knew a sufficient amount of first aid. He moved to the right ankle and again, she hissed. Ed finally finished and began to wrap up the cuts with the bandages he managed to find. "Done. Just don't do anything stupid for a while, all right? I'm not cleaning this mess up again." He grunted at her and Lupin glared at him from the corner of her eye as she flexed her feet experimentally.

"Says the guy who probably does stupid things all the time."

"I'm serious."

"I'm sure you are." Lupin replied in earnest, although she sounded strangely unattached. She stopped flexing her legs, sitting still again. "Why were you so…upset the other night?"

He was caught off-guard by the question and opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, thinking better of just telling her off. Was she really that clueless? How could one _not_ figure out what had happened…a couple of nights ago? It wasn't that hard. The forced close proximities had a tendency to allow no secrets to be kept for very long.

He'd had the early morning shift and he had, out of plain curiosity, gone to check on the girls—a habit he sometimes did whenever he had an early or late shift—, and found Lupin hadn't been there. Then she came out, hours later from Jack's cabin. Her hair was unkempt, she looked slightly wary and wide-eyed around the place, and she had gotten close enough for him to spot perhaps one or two bruises culminating on her neck. It wasn't that hard to put two and two together to get to the answer.

Edward pursed his lips before shaking his head. "It's nothing you have to worry about."

"It's about me and Jack, isn't it?" She replied, albeit hesitantly and quietly. He pursed his lips, glancing at her.

"You shouldn't have done it."

"It's none of your business. You shouldn't be getting so mad about it."

"I'm not mad, I'm—," He began to retort, but she interrupted him.

"Mad. When it's none of your business." She was looking at him now, looking at him with a mixture of hurt and anger. "What I do ain't much of your business. We're going home to our separate times soon, where we won't need to bother with one another ever again."

He was thoroughly taken aback by her soft, but angry tone and it took him a moment to stop floundering around for the right words to reply with. "You're right, it isn't any of my business, but that doesn't mean I still don't worry about things while I'm stuck here."

She pursed her lips into a thin line and tipped her head just so, in a proudly manner. Lupin clenched her jaw again, glaring at him stubbornly.

"It's none of your goddamned business." She stated finally before pushing herself to her feet, and proceeded to gather up her shoes, socks, and hobbled away, not bothering to hide her limp this time. All she wanted to do was get away. Edward waited with baited breath before pounding a fist into the crate she had been sitting in, muttering and cursing under his breath.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Confusing as it was, Bish was perturbed by Lupin's stony-faced outlook on life at the moment. Lupin had dragged Bish away from Alphonse, not bothering to pardon her rude behavior and pulled her alongside to walk back into town. Bish was worried about the limp Lupin was making due with momentarily but said nothing and just walked alongside the wolf.

Bish kept pace with the wolf until Lupin finally slowed herself down, but whether it was because her legs were hurting or because she had finally cooled down her simmering temper, Bish didn't know.

Finally after a while of wandering aimlessly, Bish sucked in a breath and let it out slowly before asking, "So…what's going on?"

"…Ed…knew about that night, a few days ago."

"I wouldn't be surprised. It's kind of hard not to know; you walked out of his cabin at like, nine in the morning." Bish replied. Lupin glared at the ground, finding more interest in her feet than her friend's reply or face.

"It wasn't his business to get so damned concerned about it."

"Wait…that's why you're mad? Because he was _concerned_ for you?"

"It's none of his damned business. I can take care of myself." Lupin spat, although Bish said nothing towards the nasty tone the wolf was sporting.

"You're acting really stupid right now. You should be happy he's even feeling anything towards you at the moment. You shouldn't be getting so pissy about it all just because he was concerned for you. I mean, it's Jack and all that, but he's still kind of a pirate…"

Lupin finally found enough reserve to glare at Bish.

"Don't look at me in that tone of voice. I'm siding with Ed on this one, this time, hun. Don't get all bitchy and whiny because he's just voicing his concerns, all right?" Bish stopped walking and pulled Lupin to the side, a comforting hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"Look…it's actually kind of sweet that he's looking after your well-being. Normally, and you know this too, he'd be only after his own and his brother's welfare. I think you're making an impression on the guy, and that's progress here. Don't just let it go to waste; go apologize to him before you shatter what friendship you have with him. All right?"

Her friend was obstinate by nature, and was good at arguing, Bish would give Lupin that much credit, but she'd need to get that splash of cold water in the face every once in the while. Lupin finally softened up and studied Bish's face for a while, then dropped her gaze towards the little necklace she had gotten the other day. She closed her eyes before nodding. "I was out of line…"

"See? There. Was that so hard?"

"My pride; it hurts." Lupin mocked her heart hurting and Bish rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"C'mon, let's get back to the _Pearl_; you have something to say to Ed and I need to get back to my language session with Al, which by the way, you barged in on and broke up."

"Sorry…"

"I forgive you…this time."

Lupin and Bish were about to double-back on their trail and go back to the docks, but Bish suddenly stopped and pulled Lupin back.

"Lupin…please tell me those aren't who I think they are…"

Lupin wished she could.

Red coats were marching rhythmically towards them up the street, muskets and rifles in hand, and swords at their sides, faces stony and straight. Bish grabbed Lupin's hand and began tugging her towards an alleyway that separated the mud buildings, but were stopped at a voice that had an air of authority in it before they got even fifteen yards down in the alleyway.

"Halt! You down there, you two women!"

Lupin could have sworn she felt her heart stop at the voice. _Please let it be two other women, please let it be two other women, please—,_

"In the alley, you there! Turn around!"

Bish jerked her head slightly towards Lupin and she finally turned, swallowing, looking about as nervous as she felt. Slowly, she backed away, pulling Lupin with her. Slowly, but surely, as the saying usually went.

"A-Aye, sir?" Lupin asked, almost hesitatingly, gaining that British lilt to her speech. Bish squeezed Lupin's hand from behind.

"What're you doing down there?" The red coat called, and Lupin swallowed and fashioned up as good a grin as she could, feeling her heart pound away in her chest.

"O-oh, just…just taking a stroll, sir, nothing more. We weren't doing nobody no harm, now were we?"

Bish squeezed her hand harder, nails biting into her skin as the man began to descend down the crooked little alleyway. Lupin backed away a little more quickly out of impulse.

"What ship are you sailing on?" He called as he neared.

_I don't remember the other ships' names, what're they're bloody names?! Fucking "A"! _

"Um…I, uh…" She was stalling, and doing it horribly.

"Lupin…" Bish said behind her back. Oh, fucking hell, what were Norrington's men even doing here? There had been no one on the horizon for days; how had he caught up so fucking fast?

"I think you're going to have to come with me. You're under arrest for suspicions of being associated with pirates, namely Jack Sparrow."

_CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow._ Lupin wanted to scowl at the man, but she held her reserve and her brain finally was able to process the rest of that comment before she could have sworn ten years had just been knocked off her lifespan in the past ten seconds. Then Lupin got a very desperate, very rickety, put-together-in-seconds idea. And the emphasis was on _desperate_.

She looked over the man's shoulder; eyes wide and she began to breath erratically for a few split moments. The man paused, a look of confusion and concern on his face. Lupin finally pointed behind him and shouted, "LOOK; AN IDIOT!"

He actually turned to look, surprised and alarmed, but those small few seconds of time were enough for Lupin to tug at Bish's frozen form and get her to start running.

It didn't surprise either of them to hear the man in his red coat to start shouting orders and the clanking of muskets and swords to be heard clattering after them, rising above the blood pounding in their ears, the sound of their own breathing, their erratic heartbeats…

"Keep going, Lupin! Just go!"

Lupin didn't need to be told twice. She even ignored the throbbing, dull pain in her ankles. No doubt the cuts were open and bleeding freely again. She just kept on going.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He growled to himself, glaring at the muzzles of the rifles and muskets trained on him, while a man in a regal looking blue coat, held himself with high regards, an air of authority surrounding him…not to mention, an air of pompousness as well. He was smirking while the crew muttered darkly under their breaths and glared alongside him at the man and his trained musket-holders. They were stiff, eyes locked onto them, itchy-finger and trigger-happy. It was like they were just begging to say, "_Come on, give us one good reason to shoot you. Come on. Break your line so we can shoot._"

But of course, their mouths were wired shut, their eyes hard and cold, and Edward merely glared back, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"So…where is he? Where's your so-called "captain" of this ship?" The man, whom had been identified as bloody Norrington by Gibbs, said.

"He's talking about Jack." Alphonse murmured. Norrington's eyes turned sharply on Edward's brother and he stepped forward towards Al.

"Well? Are you going to tell me where that blackguard is?"

Edward stepped between Norrington and his brother, glaring at the taller man. Norrington smirked. "I guess not. Take them to the brig on the _Dauntless_ and a few of you, over there, stand guard on the _Black Pearl_; make sure to capture any of the crew who is to come wandering back here. Search the town for any more pirates, and more importantly, search for Jack Sparrow. He has an appointment for the gallows very soon and I would _hate_ to have to see him miss it."

Norrington turned to leave, but paused and glanced back at the crew. "We'll be burning the ship tomorrow morning, by first light."

There were growls and shouts of protest, but Norrington had already left, a platoon of his loyal soldiers following closely on his heels. The rest moved towards the crew and motioned for the pirates to move, the Elric brothers along with them. Edward grit his teeth, snarling and muttering a few choice curses under his breath, in which Alphonse looked at him reproachfully.

"That damned bastard …that _coward_. He knew they were here, and he ditched us. I should've known!"

Gibbs overheard and turned on him, giving the young man a hard stare-down.

"Jack ain't no coward; he wouldn't allow Norrington of all men try and overtake his own ship. He's probably lying low, waiting to strike."

"With what army?" Edward snapped back. Gibbs fell silent but swiveled back around and continued to march forlornly after the other men.

The girls weren't there. They had left, and a part of him was glad, but another part was worried. Arguments put aside, he didn't want to see either of them get captured and put in the same situation as them. Of course…he and his brother were more than capable of taking out these guys, although with or without wounds…

No, wait until they were away from Norrington. Then strike. Escape. Find that bastard, Jack, and beat the living daylights out of him. He smirked a little. Now _that_ was a plan.

Alphonse nudged him and Edward looked to him. Al shook his head and mouthed, "_Not yet_". Ed nodded in understanding and followed, jangling the iron cuffs around his wrists. These guys meant business; they were tight. And he didn't know how to pick locks like this; but if he were to guess right, they were nowhere near as sophisticated as the ones three hundred years from now. He could probably break them, put more pressure on the right side…

He glanced over his shoulder, momentarily glimpsing Norrington passing through town and around a few buildings before he got a hard thwack from a musket's butt against his shoulders. He snarled at the young man, who looked no older than he was, but the red coat paid no heed and in a trained voice shouted, "Keep moving, _pirate_!"

He would have shouted back; would have, but kept silent and quietly trudged along after his brother. The area in which he got hit was still sore.

But the hitting didn't stop. Once more, twice more… It was grating on his nerves. The third time hit the metal plating on his shoulder. He was surprised the kid had missed so many times. He glanced back at the red coat-donning young man and he stared at Edward, baffled as hell at the metal clang his shoulder had made instead of a dull thud that was made by flesh and bone and blood.

He smirked at the kid's reaction, when he met with Edward's gaze. He finally snapped the cuffs he had been so diligently paying attention to. A piece of the chain fell to ground, but the kid was still paying more attention to the ringing Edward's shoulder had made; metal instead of flesh.

"What in God's name—?"

Edward didn't give the man any time to reply. He thrust a fist into the young man's face, twisted around towards his brother and ripped at the chains, quickly, and turned away again, shouting, "Now, Alphonse!"

The red coats didn't know what had hit them until after the Elric brothers had attacked.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Where is she, where is she, where is she?! _

Slinking around the alleyways like a stinking yellow-bellied dog, Lupin was in a petrified state. Every sound would make her flinch and cringe and look over her shoulder in fear and paranoia. She half expected to run back into Bishquet. She wholly expected running into the British Royal Navy, or worse, Norrington himself. She had been so damned focused on getting away, the wolf hadn't realized she'd lost Bishquet until she had finally stopped, trying to catch her breath, slow her heart, gather her senses…

That was when the paranoia kicked in. Every shout was Norrington or his men; every lurking shadow was the British Navy, waiting to ambush her, and the fact that it was getting dark didn't help much at all either. Shouting for her friend would only get her caught; it'd be ridiculously stupid to even consider that option. Paranoid she may be right now, but stupid wasn't one of them. Instead she had to skulk around, pausing every few feet to listen, wait, watch and then return to skulking.

She didn't even realize she had been crying until her vision had swam and blurred and she finally had to wipe away at her face. She had been surprised and she finally had to stop and collapse on the ground, feeling weak, insignificant, and helpless. She had no weapon of her own, no sword to use, nor any pistol to boast about. Lupin doubted she'd have enough resolve or the courage to use either one anyways, so they would have only weighed her down and been dead weight to her.

_I've got to get back to the _Pearl_…but what if they already captured the _Pearl_? They'll sink it, won't they? _She didn't realize how close to the truth she had gotten. Lupin clambered back to her feet, trembling and listening, hiding her sniffles and wiping away the fresh hot tears that pinpricked the corners of her eyes. It was getting dark, and when it got dark in the desert, it got dark fast.

Lupin stumbled down another alleyway and had made fast due to pressing herself close against the wall of a building just in time as a company of marching red coats tromped by. Lupin held her breath until the last red coat passed but she didn't relax. If anything, she tensed up even more and she finally moved after a few minutes of relative peace.

She had to wonder where the villagers were. _Probably hiding,_ Lupin concluded. It wasn't until she returned to a main street did something grab at her and she let out a loud yelp. _T__hey got me, oh God; they got me, didn't they? They're gonna kill me!_

A hand covered her mouth and she kicked and bucked, trying to break free. She even attempted to bite down on the hand covering her mouth, but found it impossible to even open it with the vice like grip holding her down.

"Calm down, it's me! It's me, Edward!"

Lupin stopped moving almost immediately, recognizing the voice rather than the name at first. She was spun around and met with those hard golden eyes, although they weren't as hard and shielded as they normally were. "Calm down, you're all right. All right?"

He kept his voice deliberately soft and quiet and she nodded numbly, glancing momentarily away to see Alphonse standing a few feet away, watching the streets. He noticed Lupin's stare and gave her a curt nod and a small smile, although it was strained. It had to be the first she'd seen so edgy from the younger brother. Then his eyes returned to the streets and he nudged Edward's shoulder.

"Brother, they're coming back."

Ed nodded before pulling Lupin back up to her feet and locked his hand around her wrist.

"Come on, a few of us got away. We're hiding out close by."

She could only mutely reply and trot after him as best she could. She was aware now of the limp she was once again forming, the pain that was associated with her open wounds and the scabs that were no doubt breaking free once again and letting dribbles of blood to ooze out.

"Is…is Bish there?"

Edward faltered only a little in his walk before he shook his head, almost regretfully.

"No…we couldn't help her. She got captured before we could get to her."

Lupin's grip loosened, and this time Ed looked back, lips pursed, eyes watching her, almost unsure of what to do or say. She looked distraught, so lost and out of place here. He didn't know exactly what to do for her; this all had just…descended upon them. It had all happened so damned fast, he almost wasn't sure what had happened, even now. Ed glanced at his brother, although Alphonse didn't return the look.

Edward sighed and glanced back again at Lupin. She was still limping, although she keeping up as best she could, saying nothing of her discomfort. He was sure now that she had been running. He was sure she had been; she looked exhausted and had been sweating and wheezing, trying to catch her breath, when he had found her. She was definitely feeling the sting on her ankles right now. He finally found that he had to reply to her; at least give her some sort of solace, to give her comfort.

"We're going to get Bishquet back, Lupin. I promise we will."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	32. Escape

**Escape**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Shinzochi**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Heeheehee01**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I'm finally moving forward with this story. Chapter thirty-five was completed not too long ago. Chapter thirty-six nearly completed, a little over halfway. I'm getting off my damned arse and I'm going to "git-r-done". Ooh-rah. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Washburn: **_This landing is gonna get pretty interesting.  
**Mal:** __Define "interesting".  
**Wash:** __"'Oh God, oh God, we're all going to die,'"?  
**- Washburn and Mal, **__**Serenity**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It wasn't much of a hideout. It was simply one of the houses in the middle of the small town of Tripoli; nothing much shy of another mud hut, slaved upon by the hands of those who had once lived in it. Lupin didn't want to know what happened to its previous owners.

There were only a few people there, keeping low, moving very little, saying very little. Gibbs had been one of the fortunate few who got away, along with Marty. LeJon had been another one and another sailor sat beside him. Lupin vaguely recognized him, but couldn't pin a name to him. It took a few minutes of mindless staring for the name to suddenly just…come to her. Matthews. His name was Matthews, wasn't it?

Water was being passed around in two jugs and stale bread was being torn apart. Lupin took her own ration, but didn't bite into it. She merely held it and soon forgot she even had it.

"Anyone know where that coward went?" Edward growled out, and Lupin snapped out of her reverie and stared at him. Coward, coward… Who ran away? Who did it?

_Jack. Jack ran, didn't he?_ No, he couldn't have; no, he wouldn't. The _Black Pearl_ was his ship and he couldn't sail it all by his lonesome self, let alone recapture it; that'd be suicidal. He was mad, surely, but suicidal he wasn't. No…he was mad enough to go that far. He's done it in the past, why should she expect anything less of the man?

"I told you already, boy, Jack ain't no coward, not where his ship is involved! He walked around with a pistol he's never shot for ten years to shoot the bloody bastard who stole his ship from him in the first place! I doubt he'd go through that much trouble only to lose it to _Norrington_!" Gibbs nearly shouted, glaring at the young man, ruddy faced, eyes glinting with anger at Ed's ignorance.

Then another voice jumped in and intervened before Edward could continue on his tirade.

"Brother…"

Lupin blinked at the voice; recognized, but at the same time, she didn't. She looked up and found Alphonse standing close to his brother, looking almost…menacing. Edward was surprised as well, and the whole little hut and its inhabitants fell silent.

"If all you're going to do is complain about Jack and how he 'supposedly' ran off, then perhaps you should just stay here, while me, Lupin and the rest of us get the crew and Bishquet out. I'm not leaving her or anyone else with those people on the _Dauntless_."

Lupin was caught off-guard when her name had been dragged into the argument, and stared at him in surprise. Edward glanced back at her, noting her flabbergasted expression and then scowled.

"Fine. But I owe Jack a punch in the face for his little disappearing act." He muttered darkly under his breath, falling silent about the subject. His brother was right; he'd need to focus on helping getting the others out from the _Dauntless_. It had never occurred to him that he'd be running from the law as a fugitive once again. At least he wouldn't be fighting off those he knew who were in _this_ militant force…

Another voice intervened immediately after Edward's comment. All heads snapped to and caught sight of the last person that they actually expected to see. Jack. "You know…I was wondering why my ears were burning so much. I guess I was right when I thought to meself that someone must've been talking about me."

He stared over the bewildered faces one at a time, noting the grubby and tear-stained Lupin. Bishquet wasn't there and it didn't take much to figure out what had happened. His eyes swept over the Elric brothers; first Alphonse and then Edward, who looked ready to snap, but was withholding it all in for the time being. He nodded towards Gibbs.

"Keep yer ruddy voices down, the lot of you, unless you want the whole bloody Royal Navy to know we're hiding out in this particular accommodation. Mr. Gibbs, I want to know of our situation."

Jack walked in with a purpose, very little swagger to his step, his eyes sharp and calculating, and his hand hovering protectively over the butt of his pistol and the other on the hilt of his sword.

Lupin stared after the man, thinking that everything would be all right. Everything would, wouldn't it? Otherwise there would have been no point in _Dead Man's Chest_, would there? But she almost forgot the rest of the factors that had been added to the problem at hand: her, Bish, Ed and Al. They were a mix-in to this whole story and for all she knew, they could end it short. No Davy Jones, no Kraken, no East India Trading Company, no Calypso…

No home.

A hand tugged her up and she resisted momentarily, before returning back to earth and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. She swayed a little, feeling the throb in her ankles pick right back up again. Edward was there; helping hold her steady and she returned to her senses and looked at him.

"I'm sorry." She blurted, although she was surprised. She had meant to say something else entirely, but she couldn't remember what it was. It slipped away from her and was replaced by her apology. He stared at her, baffled, before the meaning sunk in. He pursed his lips in a thin line, shaking his head.

"Forget it right now. We're going."

"Now?"

He nodded.

"Now. Jack has a plan. It might work, it might not, but for now, we don't have much of a choice but to follow it." He paused before slipping an arm under hers, providing help for her to walk. Lupin stiffened at the contact, tense and edgy at it, but slowly, she gradually allowed the tension to lessen.

"I am going to keep my promise to you, though. I will help get Bish out of there. Another part of it is, is because Alphonse will kick my ass if I don't."

It was an ill attempt at humor and he only managed a small smile from the wolf, but the motion collapsed before it could even fully perk up. The smile died on her lips and she hobbled alongside Ed, silently thankful for the help. She felt that if she were to try and walk on her own at the moment, she'd probably collapse and break down; and she honestly didn't want to, she really didn't.

She hated letting others see her cry, even if the time was appropriate or whatever that saying meant. And she hadn't felt this much at her wit's end in a long time. Years, perhaps, not since her time up in, well, Minnesota.

Lupin was still clutching the piece of stale bread she had been given and now she stared at it, baffled as to why she still had it. She dropped it in the dirt and limped on, focusing now more on helping get Bish out than she had been minutes before.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Ultimately, to summon up what she was feeling at the moment in one word, Bishquet was pissed off beyond belief. Pissed off at herself, for one, for having got caught in the first place, and pissed off at her captors. She had first spouted off angry curses in Spanish, mixed with traces of English so that her captors could understand what she was saying.

And surprisingly mostly to her, she had started in on French, although she stopped after a while, realizing the effect wasn't as solid a form as Spanish or English.

She remembered once Lupin had told her how there were no curses like Arabic curses. They were colorful, to say in the least, and at the moment, Bish wished she knew them. Another one she wished she knew was German; the gruff sounding syllables of the language would have worked perfectly with her dark mood at the moment. She had once or twice heard Edward ranting in the language and again, she thought the growling and rough syllables and the sound of the language itself would suffice rather well.

After a while, though, her tirade had finally died down, disgruntled as she was and unwilling to settle and let her guard down. Unfortunately, she was stuck in a cell, surrounded by the rest of the crew. Unfortunately, that meant Bish was housed with Cotton and his parrot. The damnable thing wouldn't shut up and she wished she had Lupin here so that the wolf could calm the restless creature. She always seemed to have one way or another when it came to certain animals.

The old man hadn't been in on the escape plan, apparently, and had been caught again before he could even get away. Ed and Al had staged a coupe, and unsurprisingly, had gotten away, along with several other members of the crew.

Two had unfortunately been shot and killed; one was injured and nursing his wounds in the brig cell over.

Bish could hear him whimpering in pain; rising and falling, falling and rising like the ebb and flow of the ocean's tides.

It became a buzzing background sound; something she immediately ignored, but knew was there, nonetheless. She gripped the iron bars that were impeccably cared for and after the small "tour" she had been given of the ship; everything was clean, and well maintained on British Navy ships. It was, by far, vastly different from the _Black Pearl_; it wasn't as smelly or grimy and nobody dressed in rags.

She was silently impressed and wished Jack's ship could at least model after a cleanlier atmosphere such as this. But…she would admit, she was rather…attached to the _Pearl_, cons aside.

It had some pros… Like Jack being so lax when it came to her and Lupin. Him not throwing them overboard weeks ago… Okay, so the pros were mostly Jack and what he had done for her and the others, but still. The ship was…well; the ship was home at the moment. It was _home_ to her.

Her grip tightened on the bars and she shook with rage. She was going to beat the living crap out of Norrington when she got out of here. That much she could offer the man for his "hospitality" for allowing her to stay on his ship.

The thought of a broken, bloody heap that was labeled in big, floating bold print, "_This used to be Norrington_" made her smirk. Oh yeah. That would be just fucking awesome… Too bad she didn't live in a cartoon world and this was real life.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"So…that's it? That's how it's going to work out?"

Jack nodded confidently. "That's how it's going to work out."

Ed had to admit…the man had a stroke of brilliance about him. The plan itself seemed…foolproof, and he hoped it would be. Two teams break off. One team would go and recapture the _Black Pearl_ with discretionary actions. The second team would go aboard the _Dauntless_ and retrieve the rest of the crew. Which, in Ed's opinion, was the most suicidal part of the plan, but the _Pearl_ could not be manned properly by only a few sailors.

Jack had confirmed this by pointing out on the horizon the dark, ominous clouds that were building up and obscuring the starry sky. They would cover the moon soon and they'd have to work fast. They had to finish before sunrise, which was only a few hours away.

"I want you four to go and recapture the _Pearl_ from those red lobsters and ready the ship to set sail. I have a feeling that things won't go as smoothly as planned—they never do—and we'll need to leave, immediately. Well, escape, really; from Norrington and his men…" Jack nodded to Gibbs, Marty, LeJon and Matthews. Then he turned to Ed, Al, and Lupin.

He upheld a long silence, looking them over carefully, scrutinizing them before nodding. "You're all young, fast, and I'm sure yer very light on yer feet. You'll be able to move swiftly through and get everyone out more quickly."

"So you saved the youngest for the suicidal mission. Thanks." Ed muttered darkly. Jack said nothing, his face a blank slate.

"S'only way, lad. I'm the only one who knows the way to the brig, so I'll be along with you. I've been held in it for a good week or so before…well, that's a story for after we're out of this malicious predicament."

Gibbs pursed his lips into a very thin line. "What happens if you all get captured as well?"

It was something Ed didn't want to think about, but now he couldn't help but play out the different failed scenarios if anything went wrong. Jack glanced at Gibbs, adding pressure to the silence.

Finally he replied, "Well, you certainly aren't going to let me rot in their little cell for the devil knows how long, are you? I didn't just reclaim rightful ownership of me ship just to see it burned to the bottom of the sea and be hanged by bloody _Norrington_, of all people."

He returned his gaze back towards the Elric brothers, then back to Lupin. He sighed.

"Miss Hawkins."

Lupin hesitated, but then met his gaze. Her face was tear-streaked, and although she had stopped a while ago, she had once been trembling all over, looking very much like a lost little rabbit surrounded by a pack of wolves.

"Perhaps you should go with Gibbs—,"

"No." She stated surprisingly firmly, despite her countenance, despite the fragile wavering of her voice.

"No?" He questioned, one brow raised. She shook her head, as if to solidify her resolve.

"No…I'm…I'm going to help my friend. I'm going with you, to get her out. I'm not leaving her behind. She'd do the same for me." The last of it all had come out the quietest, but it was loud enough for them to hear. Her eyes glistened again, threatened by tears and she sniffled, wiping away at them with her arm before returning her determined gaze towards Jack.

"I'm going with you."

He stared at her, long and hard, and she seemed to be ignoring all else except for Jack; he could just deny her inspirational little motivation and force her to go with Gibbs and his lot to go to the _Pearl_, but she did seem determined enough to defy, and follow, him to the _Dauntless_. In other words, it'd be pointless to deny it at all.

Plus…the disapproving look he was being thrown at from the Elric brothers was enough confirmation that they seemed to support her decision of coming along.

Unfortunately, none of them had any swords, pistols or muskets or any other assortment of weaponry to aid them. Well…except for perhaps Edward, his limbs were practically weapons all on their own when utilized properly. And from the way the lad carried himself with an air of control, and from his well-maintained physique, he was plenty strong enough to put an undoubtedly amount of hurt on enemies. His brother as well was in good condition, both mentally and physically.

Lupin… Jack unfortunately had no link with her. She was strong, no doubt; he would admit that, but how strong, was the question of the matter. Was she as strong as the lads? Perhaps not…but she was perhaps strong enough to hurt someone for a grievously amount of time. Just long enough for them to get away, at the very least.

She wouldn't follow his orders to go with Gibbs if he issued them. There was no point in arguing with the woman; all women were argumentative creatures, bent on winning every fight _just_ to prove a point. Lupin, he knew, would be no different, and if the roles had been switched, Bish would have been the same way, only more…_pushy_.

Finally, he nodded, conceding to her decision. "Fine, then. As you wish…Miss Hawkins." Then he turned towards the rest of what remained of his crew. "Go an' regain me ship, an' have her ready to go at a moment's notice. We'll be on the way with the rest of the crew."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They had separated once they hit the alleyways, Gibbs and his lot in one direction towards the _Black Pearl_, and then Jack and the others towards the _Dauntless_, which lay on the other side of the small harbor. Alphonse stealthily followed after his brother; nostalgia gripped him and he began to remember all those years back, when he and his brother had once snuck around like thieves in the middle of the night, searching for answers that turned out to be horrible truths.

The nostalgia continued to roll around in his head: the ducking and covering, sneaking and skulking. Only this time he wasn't a metal suit of armor; he didn't clunk around unceremoniously and risk exposing their position. He could move freely, stealthily and actually shrink back into the shadows with less bulk to worry over, just like Edward.

The red coats outnumbered those who donned blue coats with golden trimming; the red ones, he figured, were more like lackeys; mere foot soldiers and the blue coats were of higher rank. They've passed a few of them, but their coats were not as boisterous as Norrington's had been. These blue coats were as simply furnished as their red coated footmen. They were higher of rank and command, but not by much. Norrington was definitely the leader of this whole outfit.

Everything was hushed around them. The only things that were heard was the distant shout of a soldier's orders, perhaps the weeping of someone else from one of the houses they were passing, maybe even the yap of some dog somewhere. The clank of muskets and swords in their sheaths and the rhythmic marching clattered about in the still air. The ocean lapping against everything it could was nothing but white noise in the background; outweighed by most of everything, except at certain silent intervals.

Jack motioned for them to halt, then follow. They were close on his heels, ears sharp, eyes open and bodies ready for an imminent attack. None came so far. The _Dauntless_ soon loomed into view, bobbing in and out of existence as they neared the end of the bay and the last of the piers. Jack made them all pause when they were naught by a few yards shy of coming into full view of the docks.

Nothing stirred, except for the switching sentries of the ship. There were a few others as well, some seeming to have been battered or wounded severely like great, floating beasts.

"When we get on board, I'll be sending one of you to scout ahead to make sure everything is clear before the rest of us follow. I'll tell you which way to go, but be sure to be quiet about it all. Don't want the whole ship knowing we're there." Jack relayed to them all in a hushed tone.

He looked to each of them and saw Lupin nodding agreeably at his directions. Edward did nothing while Alphonse watched him silently; one curt nod instead of multiple ones sent his way. Jack nodded back at them all and turned back to stare at the _Dauntless_.

It was now or never. Jack would have preferred both and neither at the same time.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He had caught most of the crew, although due to some…interference after he had left, a few of the crew had escaped, although two were shot and killed, while one was injured. He probably wouldn't make it back to the Caribbean; he'd be dead before he reached the end of the Mediterranean.

Norrington had to congratulate himself, but he stopped short of pulling out any alcoholic drinks. He'd break it out as soon as Jack Sparrow was behind bars, ready to be hung at the gallows. Then he'd fully and whole-heartedly celebrate.

However…there was something that bothered him from the report his men had given him about the escapees.

One of them, the shorter blond young man, donning an odd pair of pants, and a vest over a white linen shirt, had a strange…aberration of his arm. The right arm, one of his men had meticulously reported. The commodore vaguely remembered the young man. He had, if Norrington recalled correctly, long blonde hair—knotted and snarly from lack of proper maintenance tied back by a length of leather—and although he wasn't as tall as he was, the blonde seemed to be built properly. He was strong of body and stubborn of mind.

His earlier actions of stepping out of line to stand between him and the other young man—perhaps his brother; he saw traces of family resemblance mixed here and there—was proof enough. And those eyes…they had been a rich, deep golden color; it was a rare color to be sure of it. Norrington couldn't remember if he'd ever seen such a vibrant gold shade, except for perhaps hair; never the eyes, though.

But it wasn't the color alone that had caught his attention. It was the way they seemed to perceive the world. They were the eyes that seemed to have seen hell. Someone who had been through much hardship in their life, but the man couldn't be any older than perhaps twenty, give or take a few years.

They were hardened; shielded against whatever the world could throw at him.

Norrington had only smiled at the young man and acted like he were nothing but a mongrel dog and left after issuing the final orders to burn the ship down at dawn. But that man had escaped, along with his brother and a few others.

When he found out, he was furious. But at the report, he balked in confusion behind closed doors.

"_That man; that man with the long hair, he had…he had a metal arm, sir. It was…_unnatural_. It wasn't anything like a gauntlet or armor, but…I think it was his _actual arm_._"

_Preposterous._ Men did not and could not have metal limbs; it was impossible, and against God's will. He held the Lord dearly to him, just as he did his career as a Commodore, as well as his important role as a soldier in His Majesty's Royal British Navy. His country, his King, his service…they were what made him. They were what made him what he was and who he was.

He tightened his grip upon the glass of water he had poured himself, but had yet to even take a drink.

He did not believe that flippant story of a man with a metal arm; it was undoubtedly a wild tale that his men had spun because they had been punched so bloody hard in the head. They were not skewered upon by hidden knives or shot by pistols or stabbed by cutlasses as was the usual quota expected of the average pirate. They had been punched and kicked and tossed aside like children's dolls.

The strength it would take to take out his men, physically, and the speed required for moving so quickly to avoid being shot and getting in point blank range for their physical attacks…

It was boggling, and yet, the young man Norrington had seen, as well as the man's brother, whom he didn't get a very good glance at, had both done so, escaped and were able to pull along a few more of those blasted blackguards along with them. He would find them again, and perhaps he'd execute them a little early for their little stunt.

In the meantime, he'd also focus on finding Jack Sparrow, even if it meant tearing this town apart.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They moved in a flash; lithe, nimble and moving agilely. Even Lupin, who had been having problems walking beforehand, was holding true to the saying of rolling up her britches and wading on through. She said nothing, but went when and where she was told to, staying out of sight, quieter than even a church mouse.

Ed didn't even remember how they got on board the ship, but when they did he and his brother scouted ahead, taking out any who would sound an alarm or get in their way later. Knocking them out was an easy task when one hit the right pressure point. Hiding the unconscious bodies… Now that was an entirely different story.

Lupin followed after Jack and he had, while passing, stripped some men of their respective weapons and handed her a sword, along with the sheath to hold it in. He gave one each to the Elric brothers as well, but with a grim air about him, as if he didn't wholly trust the situation at hand, pertaining to the use of weaponry.

Alphonse held the sword he had been given tightly. Training was radically different than the real thing. They would have to defend themselves if it came down to it, sure enough, but the ever-present fact that killings might be a forced factor into the equation… He did not want to think on it at all. It would be horrible to have to be reduced to killing someone. So far, however, they'd met little to no opponents. And even if they did, Al would refuse to use the sword; he'd rather knock them out like the ones up top then to stab someone and _feel_ them _die_.

"They'll have a guard stationed by the brig, and he'll have the keys. When they switch guards, they hand off the keys to the new guard. Foolish, really, but I suppose it's also sensible when you want to get your prisoners out as quickly as possible without having to wait for the holder of the keys…" Jack muttered, although it sounded as though most of it had been just him thinking out loud.

Sounds seemed to increase in volume and everyone, although they would not admit it, were tense and alert and jumpy to the point of semi-permanent paranoia. Jack led them through, and would send Lupin—the smallest of the four of them—up ahead; she could hide much more quickly and more efficiently than either him or the brothers could. She kept a good eye and ear out, listening, and then signaling for them to follow.

Jack would then take the lead again, and Lupin fell into step behind him. Thankfully, there seemed to be a low on security this night. Norrington obviously thought him to be too cowardly to come himself for his own crew. Of course, the man was right; if there were any other circumstances, any other conditions of this situation, he probably would have just run off with what crew he had and pick up a new one somewhere along the way.

But, the tides were turning wild and erratic; a hurricane was coming, and he'd need all the hands he could get to keep his ship steady and true. The ship they were on was already rocking unnaturally wilder than usual. They'd have to hurry it up if they wanted to get out of this bay before it hit. He doubted it. They might get lucky, though; the hurricane might brush them, but…that was unfortunate as well. It could just as easily just brush Norrington as well.

But, he also had no doubt that Gibbs and the others would perform their duties; although if they would perform them flawlessly and without a hitch, was a question all on its own. He could only hope that nothing would be too severe…or noticeable before they could even get away. Jack would get his ship, no doubt, he would. He just didn't want it damaged in any way, hurricane or Norrington.

The final stop and then he peered around and about. There he was: the guard for the night. He stood ramrod straight, ears just as fiercely attuned to everything as Jack's and Lupin's and the brother's ears. He was standing so diligently, so devotedly to his work, in front of the brig. To be sure, it was probably only a few feet larger than his own, but then again, this one was just one large brig; not separated into two as his own was. He nodded towards Alphonse; he was the quicker of the two, but only because Edward was weighed down by his two heavier, artificial limbs.

And he seemed to be able to take down the obstacles in his way much more quickly and efficiently. Ed had to be wary, again, because of his limbs; they were not flesh and blood; they could not feel like his other limbs could. He had to be careful, unless he felt like severely and permanently harming someone; like a crushed throat or mangled limb or punctured organ or break a bone that wouldn't be able to heal correctly, even with proper care…

He was high maintenance, and his movements had to be calculated and timed just right; Al could do the same, but much more sufficiently because he could actually feel what he was doing, with both hands and he could adjust the strength with muscle memory. Metal did not have that luxury.

"Take him out, but don't kill him." Jack whispered to Alphonse. The young man nodded in return, seemingly more agreeable on that course of action. He moved silently and speedily, rounding the corner with fierce tenacity and before the man could even sound the alarm, he was snuffed out like a candle, sprawled unceremoniously on the floorboards. He was still breathing, though, as Jack had ordered.

The crew immediately jumped up, some babbling in confusion, but it soon all died down, although there was still traces of surprise mixed in with their relief.

"Al!"

Alphonse turned and searched the brig before he saw the face that the familiar voice was connected to. Bishquet. His face softened and he smiled.

He was relieved and he stepped forward towards the cell bars and she smiled back as he stood in front of her. The other men moved away, whispering fiercely towards the approaching Jack, Lupin and Edward. He ignored them.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?"

The young woman smiled and reached through the bars, grasping his hand with hers tightly, shaking her head. He held it back just as tightly, with just as much relief written on his face as there was on hers.

"No, they didn't. And if they tried, I would've kicked their asses to the prehistoric ages."

He laughed quietly. "I wouldn't doubt it. I really wouldn't."

She smiled and squeezed a little tighter. "Get me out. I really don't want to get hung, especially in a century I don't really belong in."

Al grinned and nodded in agreement, eagerly even as he glanced over and saw his brother patting the man down and looking for the keys. Jack stood by, telling the crew to shut the bloody hell up if they wanted to escape, and more importantly, if they wanted to keep on living. Bish didn't let go. Neither did he.

The rattle of keys and the unlocking of a well-oiled, surprisingly quiet cell door alerted them both. She faltered before slipping her hands back through the bars and retreated from him. He missed her touch sorely, even if it were only for a few seconds. The last man finally left the brig and Bish followed afterwards, and then latched herself onto Alphonse, hugging him tightly.

"God, thank God. Thank you, oh my God…"

He hugged her back. He was relieved that she was unharmed, and that she was safe. She didn't cry, but she wasn't exactly going to walk away unscathed from this. She was strong and perhaps it was that quality that he liked about her. A lot. He rubbed her back in comfort, smiling. "You're fine now, all right? We're going to get out of this, I promise."

Alphonse momentarily glanced up and saw his brother staring at him, but he said nothing. He never would either; it wasn't his business, truthfully, and Edward knew that. And he most likely wouldn't say anything at all. Al was at least grateful for that much. He held Bish closer and closed his eyes for a few split seconds before the shuffle of feet moving away brought him back to reality.

He sighed, unwilling to let go of the moment, however dire the situation at hand was. Someone bumped into his arm and apologized quickly. Lupin. He opened his eyes, and turned his head to glance at the smaller young woman, hovering a good foot or two away, fidgeting restlessly, smiling slightly at him, then at Bish.

He smiled back and nodded before breaking the embrace with Bish properly—although reluctantly—and held her hand, helping lead the way out after the others. Lupin flanked Bish's other side, holding her hand briefly and giving her a relieved, long hug. Al heard mutter a few "I'm sorry," comments to Bish. Bish brushed them off before Lupin backed off, following behind her. Jack stayed near the back, and Ed stepped ahead of the pirate, pushing Lupin ahead.

"Come on, hurry up. Keep going."

She stumbled a few times, but Ed was there, helping her back to her feet. Al noticed a few times, making sure that they were still there. He smiled a little to himself, in spite of their current situation. If only his stubborn brother could be nice all the time; it'd certainly save everyone a lot grief.

But Edward was Edward; and Al doubted Ed would change his obstinate nature very much… Just as Bish was herself. And he preferred her the way she was.

Now all they had to do was get out of here, and she could continue being herself, Navy-captured-free.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Now, my pretties, don't forget to review. You know I love them. ;3**


	33. Into the Fray

**Into the Fray**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Heeheehee01**

**KageArai**

**Shinzochi**

**Silentmoondemon**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I thought that I'd post this a day earlier than scheduled, mostly because I had a pretty crappy weekend, but posting this and just...letting other people enjoy themselves make me happy. **

**Also, I found out, mostly likely, I will not be going away for my Spring Break, whenever that may come to be, so I'll be able to write at my own leisure. :3 Anyway, please enjoy the new chapter, I shall post sometime next week. :D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Some guy hit my fender and I said, "Be fruitful and multiply," but not in those words.  
**- Woody Allen**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Of course the plan had seemed flawless from a different point of view; everything always did. But, of course, the plan was never perfect and the damnable British Navy was up and ready for action. They had their forces making double efforts to come back and they were halfway towards the _Pearl_ when the muskets and the bayonets began to light up the docks.

There came the sound of bullets leaving the barrels and muzzles of their masters, and whizzing at insane speeds towards the fleeing crew.

The crew themselves were in a mad frenzy, trying to make it alive towards the ready-to-sail _Pearl_; they could hear what crew on there shouting now; there was no need for stealth anymore. There was no longer any point for it.

More red coats and their higher ranked leaders the blue coats—as they've all been so eloquently named in place of 'those Navy men'—began charging down the docks, from the streets, adding to the myriad army of scarlet and gold along with cerulean and gold and flecks of silver. The crew on the _Pearl_ was fighting their own battles; gunshots sounded off from the ship and flashes sprang up like cherry bombs from the deck, the docks and at the gangplank as well.

The _Dauntless_ and the other ships were having their sheets unfurled and try to make it out of the docks as quickly as possible. The _Pearl_ was already ready to be cast off; they just needed to wait for the fleeing escapees and their captain of course. Who was going to lead them if not Jack? Mr. Cotton?

Yeah, right.

It hurt to run; it hurt to even twist and flex her ankles and she was definitely sure that hot liquid that was filling her shoes was blood. The cuts must have broken open, _again_, and had most likely been torn up to even larger wounds. At least, that's what it felt like to Lupin. Faintly, she made a mental memo to get Bishquet to rub some antiseptic from the first aid kit onto her opening wounds.

_If we make it out of here… _She thought grimly, her head ducking instinctively, hands covering the back of her head to protect it when more bullets rocketed past them and exploding somewhere else. Someone else went down and she jumped just in time over his flailing form. He wailed when her foot accidentally connected with the back of his head and she cringed at the sound. She stumbled and she caught herself in time, preventing herself from going down. Her toes now throbbed from the unintentional kick.

Bloody lovely.

A chill like a cold splash of ice water in her face wrenched at her when she heard the man howl in agony from her kick. Then it was cut off abruptly by the cacophony of weaponry going off into the night.

"Fire!"

More ear splitting sounds erupted behind them.

She kept running.

They were almost there. All they had to do was shove past what was left of the forces that were trying to cross the gangplank and onto the _Pearl_. _Almost there, just keep going._

Even with a sword in her hand, she didn't want to raise it. She'd been given lessons to defend herself; but she suddenly couldn't find it in her to actually _use it._

A loud shrill sound throttled past her and something jumped at the person running ahead of her. He howled, caught by surprise and was launched forward with such sudden force; Lupin almost thought that someone had shoved him. Then she saw the red blossoming on his back as he fell forward, still. Even in this darkness, she had seen it.

She stopped running momentarily to stare, eyes wide. Her heart doubled its speed at the sight of the dead man.

It was Matthews.

_Dead, dead…he's dead, isn't he?_ He still hadn't moved. _Dead. Dead, dead, dead. He's dead._ Someone grabbed her and pulled her forward, jerking her towards the gangplank and past the redcoats and their higher-ranking bluecoats. The one who grabbed her was shouting something at her, but she didn't register what they were saying to her.

One of the redcoats got dangerously close and whomever it was that was keeping her on her feet threw out a vicious punch and kept pushing her forward. She finally comprehended that they were telling her to keep going. She stumbled up the gangplank and another hand caught onto her arm. Lupin jumped at the contact, jolting violently, but the hand remained in place and she saw it was connected to Bish.

"Come on, let's go! Downstairs, downstairs!"

Her head was swimming and she couldn't find the words to say she needed help to gather what the hell was going on. More gunshots rang through the air and bullets thundered on and on. But now the noise had doubled in volume; the pirates they had helped escape now had their own weapons. The cries they emitted were vicious and bloodthirsty.

"Keep at it, you dogs! Kick out that gangplank and let's set sail! Keep that powder dry; we've got more than just a squall heading our way, boys, so let's keep on our toes for her!"

It was Gibbs shouting the orders. Lupin didn't need to see who it was; she could hear him loud and clear. She numbly stood her ground, ignoring Bish, even when the woman was trying to tug her below decks.

"Men at the guns, keep 'em ready!"

The _Pearl_ lurched forward; Jack was now at the wheel, steady and true, as any captain should be. When he got there, Lupin didn't know. One minute he was running alongside his men, the next he was suddenly at the helm, taking command. He watched the remaining ships, including the _Dauntless_, in the bay and pursed his lips. They were hurrying to pull out their own sails themselves. The _Dauntless_ had more than half of them out already; she was making way to pull out now.

The waves were choppier now; he predicted this. They skies were darker than charcoal, rolling and rumbling low and deep and throaty; it roared and the sea tossed to its rhythm. The _Pearl_ pointed northward, the _Dauntless_ as well as the others whom he didn't get a good glance at to figure out their names, were also steadying their courses to point towards him.

The smallest vessel was already correcting itself and unleashed its first few rounds from its cannons. It shattered the waters a good few ships' worth of length away. But that didn't mean it made the men all the more nervous than they already were.

"Orders, Cap'n!" Gibbs cried above the howling of the wind, the screeching spray of the sea, the roar of the skies.

The _Pearl_ cut through the waters, easily, and was already pulling fast away. More shots were fired. Some came dangerously close to blowing a hole in his beloved vessel, his home. His freedom.

"_Cap'n!_"

Captain Jack Sparrow smirked a little, liking the challenge, but all the same preferring to avoid it. His eyes burned as he shouted, "_**FIRE!**_"

The _Pearl_ rocked with the force and power behind its own weaponry, viciously dealing a round of harsh damage to the vessel firing upon them. The men onboard cheered only once before setting to the vigorous work of rekindling their cannons, preparing to fire at the vessel once more.

Lupin finally ducked down below decks to go after Bishquet, chilled to the bone, dropping the sword she had numbly been carrying up until now.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He had him…

Dammit, he had that _bloody pirate_! Right where he wanted him, too!

He's seen the weather, he's gazed at its horizon, and he knew that _something_ was going through Jack Sparrow's mind. He had the afternoon and evening to figure it out, but all in vain and too late.

The cowardly pirate he thought he had pinned down for Jack's character was nothing more than a masquerade. Norrington thought the Jack too gutless to even attempt such a feat of challenging _him_, Commodore-_bloody_-Norrington, personally by charging up his own ship!

What's more, Jack had the gall to steal back his own men from Norrington's own brig! It was incomprehensible.

_Incomprehensible_.

And Jack's ship was once again his own.

Norrington tightened his fist at his side, glaring deeply at the dark form of the ship he had first glimpsed naught but less than nine months ago, when it had first attacked Port Royal under Captain Barbossa's reign. The _Dauntless_, as well as his other vessels, the _Constance_ and the _Victory_, were pulling out.

The _Constance_, the smallest of what was left of his tiny armada, had already begun firing upon the _Black Pearl_. Those had been his orders to his men: any who were ready, fire and sink the _Pearl_. Take out the _Black Pearl_ as quickly and efficiently as possible, that was all he wanted.

Any survivors were to be rounded up, and promptly put in the brig, ready to be shipped off to Port Royal to be hung. And he dearly hoped Sparrow would survive, just so Norrington could have the pleasure of hanging him.

Yes, he expected retaliation, and it had come. What he didn't expect was the brutality of the retaliation. Despite their similar size, it appeared the _Pearl_ had a higher edge and it ripped through the _Constance_ terribly. The volley of cannon fire shattered its frame and with a certain suddenness, one of the masts began to splinter, crack and tumble sideways into the choppy waters below. Another shortly followed after, crashing over on the deck of the _Constance_.

The bow of the ship began to stoop forward, closer towards the waters and he realized the _Pearl_ had hit it straight and true; the _Constance_ was sinking. Shouts of men from the ship filled the air, just masked below all the cannon fire from the _Pearl_. Many of the shouts, Norrington assumed, were orders to abandon ship.

It was over for her before it even began. The _Pearl_ retained little or no damage; he couldn't tell; she was disappearing fast into the darkness.

Norrington clenched his jaw. He would bring down this pirate, and its crew and ship, with all the men and firepower he had now. Surely the _Dauntless_ would be enough, wouldn't she? Surely she should.

"Fire on my mark!"

The _Dauntless_ was more than enough, he finally concluded. She was built for power. She was built for _war_.

Then the rain came.

It came in cold, thick sheets; drowning out his vision like flurries of ice. His jaw clenched tighter, his fists straining to tighten more than they already were. Any more, and he'd pierce his palms with what nails he had.

He wanted to scream to the heavens. He wanted to curse God for blanking out his vision of the very devil he sought and promised to catch. But he remained vigilant; he would not break down in such an ill-conceived manner in front of his men, his crew. There was no time for that. He was trained to remain silent and withstanding situations such as these. He was a part of the Royal British Navy, for God's sakes. He would endure.

Only ruffians and blackguards cried out like heathens to the heavens above in such an unruly manner. Only pirates fell apart so quickly, their resolve destroyed, while his and his men's would remain firm and strong.

"Fire!"

"But, sir—we can't see a thing!"

He turned to his Lieutenant sharply. The man held his ground, hands at his sides, although one quickly rushed up to pin down his fluttering hat. Norrington held his gaze as best he could through the darkness, through the sheet of rain.

"I said _fire_. He hasn't changed course; if we aim precisely where he was moments ago, I can guarantee we'll hit him. Now, FIRE."

The Lieutenant hesitated, nodded, and then shouted the relayed order. The _Dauntless_ rocked with its power with the bow guns working and the men shouting to one another. Orderly, crisp, clean, and organized…that was how a ship was run; it was not run properly if it was not within the hands of an iron vice grip like his own.

He did not get this ranking for being such a disillusioned, motley blackguard who knew nothing of order, of vigilant organization and regulations.

Jack Sparrow would remember to rue the day he dared mock Commodore James Norrington.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It certainly was no squall.

It was a fucking hurricane.

Bish had hoped to God that they would never have to encounter such another disaster twice. At least, she hoped to never run into one in _her_ life twice.

And what was worse, this hurricane felt much worse than the last one she and Lupin had endured. She could certainly feel the sea's power as it smashed against the hull of the _Pearl_, rocking everyone and everything below and above decks perilously.

The boys had gone topside to help keep the ship under control along with the other crewmembers. Lupin would have gone; would have, maybe. But given her state of mind at the moment, she probably would've fallen overboard. It was something Bish wholeheartedly wanted to prevent.

Although, even if Lupin had been in a perfectly fit and right state of mind, Bish would've kept the wolf below decks…she just didn't want to be left alone.

So, Lupin sat pressed against the ship's hull, uncomfortably reminded with every thrashing, groaning movement and sound that there was millions of tons of seawater, just aching to break through and fill the hull of the ship.

She closed her eyes, quivering, as she huddled next to Bish in an attempt to keep herself from going mad.

Bish did the same. She prayed, under her breath and in her head, praying to God to see them through this fucked up mess they got themselves into. Lupin, she noted, remained absolutely still, absolutely silent. She wasn't singing or saying anything to calm herself, like she had done in their last encounter with Norrington and his men back in Spain.

It was just…pure silence from the wolf.

It was unnerving, but it was relieving at the same time; even if she didn't speak, she was there, and that was all Bish needed. That, and a paper bag to barf in. Her stomach kept doing flip-flops and summersaults with every pitch and roll. She was starting to get _really_ sick now.

She was just glad she had nothing to throw up, or she'd have done it a long time ago.

It was probably worse above decks, she concluded. Although the cannons had long ceased fire, the pounding of the sea against the ship was loud enough to replace the sound of cannons going off. She hoped that no one fell overboard. She really hoped that Ed and Al would be safe. _Please, be safe. Please._

The sky roared ahead, above the bellowing of the ocean hammering against the _Pearl_. Light illuminated through openings of the ship. Bish glanced momentarily at Lupin's form, only to be tossed about and having to hold on for dear life against the merciless shaking of the ship once again.

This shit had BETTER be worth the help we're getting from the fish goddess lady, what's-her-face…Calypso. Yeah. That's her name.

Calypso.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They don't remember how long they were out there.

It was surprisingly cold, but it was expectedly windy. Not to mention, it was difficult to maneuver on a constantly topsy-turvy ship. People were tied down to the mast on thick lines, to keep them from falling overboard. Edward tightened the last line; they came loose if one didn't periodically check them.

It was hell now; they were only being brushed by the hurricane, but that didn't lessen the fact that it was still _hell._ The ship rocked again. He steadied himself by grabbing at the mast. The rain came in thick sheets and it was hard to see farther than a few feet, five or seven at the most, perhaps.

They no longer had sights of Tripoli and they no longer had sights of Norrington and his ships. The shimmer of lights from the ships long ago suggested that they had altered their course, while the _Pearl_ remained close to the edges of the hurricane. The lights were gone now, long gone, but still… Ed couldn't help but wonder, what had Norrington been thinking?

Even if Ed hadn't much practice with predicting the weather, he could clearly see that the last he saw of Norrington's bobbing ships was that they were headed directly into the heart of the hurricane.

Did Norrington believe Jack had sailed through it in a desperate attempt to escape?

Foolish.

Suicidal, even…either Norrington had a bad eye out for ships on the horizon, or he simply wasn't looking hard enough. Not that Edward was rooting for the man to catch up to them; but he didn't want to see him die in the middle of nowhere, either. Perhaps Norrington believed Jack to be going through the hurricane, after all. It seemed like a move Jack would probably use as a dirty tactic, but this hurricane was too…strong.

Jack must have predicted this. Norrington hadn't, apparently. And wasn't he a man of the sea, same as Jack? What kind of idiotic move was that to use?

But for now, it was relief that no one was firing at them again. He glanced at the dark sheets when the sky lit up again. They were being tugged horrendously about and he was starting to get worried that they would be torn apart. Finally, though, he saw some of the men begin to draw up the sheets and tie them down.

Alphonse was among them and he worried for his brother's safety. He turned back to lines and double-checked them, giving all them especially hard yanks as safety measures.

He didn't know which one was his brother's, so he had no choice but to ensure all of them were tight. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given a damn about the others; he would've left them the way they were and kept an eye on his brother.

He wouldn't lose him to some damned storm, no way, no how. He hadn't lost him so far, so he wouldn't lose him now.

And thankfully the girls were down below decks. Although he wasn't sure which would've been worse for them… Being topside, where the wind and the waters would thrash them about, or being below decks where they would most likely become bashed about and eventually very seasick.

"Mr. Elric!"

He turned to Gibbs' voice, and he heard the strain in the older man's voice when he called to him.

"Go below decks! Check the animals and the supplies! Make sure everything's tied down, nice and tight! Take Miss Lupin or Miss Ana with ye, if ye can!" There was much howling and he strained to hear before he caught something else. "We'll keep an eye on yer brother! Go, now! Cap'n's orders!"

He chafed at the last bit but he grudgingly skittered towards the entrance that led below and untied himself when he was safely beneath the wood planks. Water splashed against his backside, a mixture of the rainwater and the warmer ocean water. He shivered and smacked his wet hair away from his face. Then he began the perilous walk towards the forecastle, calling out when he neared the cubby in which the girls resided.

"Hey! Lupin! Bish! I need some help!"

It took a moment for a reply. The wood creaked horrendously around him. He held the gnawing fear close by that the ship might be torn apart by the storm. It seemed unlikely. The ship was sturdy, he knew, but what was a more likely possibility was them being pushed against some reef or island or even against the mainland if they were close enough to it and the ship being torn apart by rocks, cliffs or reefs.

"Ed?!"

"Yeah!" He replied before groaning and clenching his jaw when he was tossed against one of the cannons. His leg and hip throbbed, but he stifled down his pain and grabbed at some of the support beams, limping his way over. The curtain was gone. The girls were huddled underneath it and Bish looked at him, her glasses smeared with water. She wiped at them fervently.

"What is it?"

"I need some help making sure the supplies and the animals aren't flying all over the place. I need one of you to come with me."

The sky gave out another bellow.

Water fell in through the opening and splashed against the planks.

"I-I'll go!"

Lupin was pushing aside the curtain and slowly pulling herself up, but she was thrown down after another aftershock. Bish helped prop her up.

"Lupin, you stay here, I'll go—,"

"You'll lose your glasses and my prescription ain't like yours! I'll go; I can do it!"

Bish gnawed her lip momentarily. She didn't particularly have a care for contacts the way Lupin did. She preferred her glasses. But, if she lost her glasses, then she'd really be fucked over.

Finally she nodded.

"All right!" Then she turned to Edward, giving him a meaningful glare. "You take care of her, or I'll throw you overboard and laugh when you sink and drown!"

He kept a straight face and she wasn't sure if he was nodding. "I'll keep her safe, just stay down and try to wait this out!"

Edward helped Lupin out of the cubby and the two made their way towards the lower levels where the animals would be kept. Bish kept gnawing on her lips, praying that everything and everyone would be safe and would see this hurricane out.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**And now I ask, dear readers, for you to please review! Review is like chocolate: necessary for a woman's survival. x3 I need reviews like...well, I don't need chocolate, but having some wouldn't be so bad. Just like reviews. xD**


	34. Pinnacle

**Pinnacle**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**KageArai**

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_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**D: Kinda...sad about last chapter. No love for the new chapter? Aw. D: Ah well. At least enjoy this chapter! 8D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_On the pinnacle of success man does not stand long.  
_**- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It took her a long while to realize that someone was hugging her; arms around her middle. Maybe hugging wasn't the correct term, but they sure as hell were holding onto her. She took a few deep breaths and blinked away the grogginess of sleep away, turning her head. Yeah, that was definitely a body she was pressed against. For a brief, terrifying moment, she thought she had been pressing against Lupin, possibly smothering the poor little wolf, but after a few seconds, she realized it couldn't be Lupin.

Then the reassuring face accompanied the person in her mind: it was Alphonse.

When had he come in? She felt stiff and sore and her muscles ached, but she was, at the moment, blissfully comfortable. Bish snuggled deeper against the warm body, reveling in his presence. She still couldn't figure out when he had come in to sleep. And if he were here, that would mean that they were out of the hurricane. No longer the ship groaned like it were threatening to fall apart, and nor did it toss and turn with heavy waves. They were out. Bish relaxed at that simple message. They were out, out, OUT.

What a _relief_.

Her stomach wasn't doing any more summersaults, which was good. She was dryer than before, which was also good. She closed her eyes, relishing in the close contact. Al was safe. He didn't fall overboard, which made her very happy. She opened her eyes again. Her glasses were still in place. How…weird. At least they weren't broken. She knew she'd be screwed if they were.

She brought a hand to adjust them, ignoring the smudges and turned her head to look around. Once again, she felt relief wash over her. Lupin was back. She didn't remember if she was awake when the wolf got back or not. Ed was here as well, curled up close by. Lupin's jacket had somehow made its way on him. Bish perked her lips into a smirk.

_Thinking about the boy, huh?_ She thought before stiffening slightly when Alphonse shifted behind her. The grip tightened slightly, giving her a squeeze and there was a contented sigh behind her. She relaxed when he spoke. "Good morning."

She craned her head a little. "Hi. You doing okay?"

"Mmm. A bit sore. My shoulders and arms are a little cramped up, but I'm fine. How are you doing?" Alphonse answered in earnest. Bish leaned against him, nodding. That was good. He hadn't gotten anything severely damaged.

"Shaken up like a margarita. God, I thought that we weren't gonna make it for a long time." She replied. The grip tightened again.

"We promised to get you out of there."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Well, promise or no promise, I would've come to get you either way."

Her smile broadened into a grin. Oh, yeah. She was feeling rather special at the moment. Very smug indeed. "Aw, really?" She pressed.

"Yes, of course. I mean…" He paused and she grinned at the awkwardness he had just settled himself into. "That is to say…"

She wriggled in his arms and he obligingly loosened his grip as she twisted to stare at him. He, at the very moment, had allowed himself to get worked up and then settle into a muddled pile of, well, cuteness. She couldn't help but feel that softness well up inside her when she realized he was blushing.

It was dim, the lighting, but she could tell that he was definitely blushing. "Uh…I just…wouldn't let you stay there any longer. Is all."

She couldn't help it any longer. "Awwwww!"

It was like watching a newborn kitten toddle all over the place… Well, that is, until it falls off the bed and then starts moving around like it was drunk, trying to walk off like it hadn't fallen off the bed. But still, that was cute. It was just like that, the way he had said it. She couldn't help but to say it.

"Well, I mean, Lupin was bent on helping, too. She even refused to follow Jack's orders on helping get the _Pearl_ back."

That…lessened the cuteness factor. "Aw." She paused. "Aawww. But still…that's Loopy for ya. She'd be willing to help me in any jam. I still think it's really sweet, what you were saying."

"You're welcome." He cleared his throat and she shifted a bit, allowing him a little more comfort.

"When did you get in? What, uh, what exactly happened?"

Alphonse paused momentarily, and then cleared his throat again. "It was a…long night. Dark, darker than normal and uh…it was rough. Everything and everybody was wet…and miserable. Some of us thought we were going to lose some of the sails; the way the wind was yanking on them. It must've been late, when we finally got out of the storm's way. I'm still kinda tired…"

He rolled his shoulders and groaned. She frowned and reached over, giving one shoulder a good rub beneath her hand as best her angle of position could allow. His shoulder slumped and relaxed beneath her fingertips and she smiled. He smiled tiredly in response.

"Thanks." He murmured quietly. She continued smiling. She liked it that he cared for her like he had. It made this whole fiasco worth being a part of. Sure, it made things a little weirder, but it was still better than nothing.

"No problem."

It was then that she realized he was starting to nod off and she stopped. His eyes peeped open and she sighed slowly. He said nothing; except for give her a sheepish smile.

"Can we…go back to sleep now? I'm still kind of tired…" He mumbled finally. She laughed and nodded.

"Yeah. Okay. I'm kinda sleepy too. But first…this."

Before he could ask what "this" was, or react, she leaned in and gave him a chaste, quick kiss on the lips. It was like that split-second energy drink that gave people an eye-popper. Alphonse's eyes widened at the sudden move and Bish merely grinned that devious grin of hers. "Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad." She chuckled.

He blinked once, twice before laughing himself. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and she yelped in surprised when he dragged her back down. She could still hear that smile in his voice when he spoke next. "Mmm-hmmm. Sleep now… We'll talk about that later."

She still had that grin on her face as she drifted off back to sleep.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Despite it's rough edges and the improvisation for last minute tactical retreats, the escape could not have gone any better. Well, that wasn't true. It could have gone much more smoothly, but despite the fact that it was slightly bumpy like most of the dirt roads in the port of Tortuga, they had little to no faults in the escape. The _Pearl_ had been taken back accordingly, and after he assessed the damage—which, thankfully, was little to none—of which time those bloody red lobsters were aboard his ship… The only thing that had gone astray was their way out. If that one lad hadn't coughed, he wouldn't have alerted the Navy men abroad in the streets. Then they wouldn't have had to run. He nearly got shot, but then again, so did everyone else.

Only a few fell, one dead, and two injured. They had, unfortunately, been left behind. He counted heads after the storm was over. He still had enough men to help run the _Pearl_.

That was the record so far in. The storm, they had merely had a brush with. The blackness in which it blended into saved their hides, to put it squarely. Norrington, the bloody fool, rushed off in such a wave of strength and numbers, he hadn't calculated corrected. Jack, however, did not double back just to check up on his enemy's whereabouts. He had just escaped the damned man, he wasn't about to go back and ask how his evening was, sit down for a cup of tea and complain about the weather, now was he?

He ran.

It was the oldest and noblest of pirate traditions and he embraced it thoroughly. He had, of course, prior engagements and a detour of escaping the gallows all the way on the other side of the world was _not_ part of his plan. Plus, backtracking over a course he just finished, wasn't on his agenda, either. He was, however, pleased at the results he cultivated from the youngest of his crewmembers. Well, if he could even call them his crewmembers. They weren't official pirates, he would admit. They didn't desire it, not like he had. They were merely along for the ride, because he was probably the only sane man on this earth who would believe their stories of their origins.

At times, he would have difficulties believing it, but then they would all refresh him with something that was not of this time and age. It was of their times, their world. Not his.

But, he retreated back to the subject of their usefulness. The boys had been surprisingly more able in a fight than he would have gleaned from their appearances. Sure, he knew the Edward lad had two limbs made of metal. Metal! He would be useless if someone were to drown, but he had artificial limbs that could not feel anything, limbs that could not age…

It was a curious thing, but the lad would not let a word past his lips about how and where he received those limbs. He was mum on that subject, as was his brother.

He didn't expect to receive much word from him and neither did he think to wrestle some answers from Alphonse. Neither one of them would let it slip. Alphonse, despite his cheery disposition, could be as stubborn as his brother. The only difference was Edward was outwardly and loudly stubborn; Alphonse remained quiet and reserved in manner, opposing his older brother's brasher nature.

So, any attempts would have been moot.

The girls were also good with infiltration. Silent, quick-footed, and tiny as mice; they could slip in and slip out, all quiet like. They did their part well enough and he'd give them their fair share of congratulations, especially Lupin, as tiny and compact as she was. And her sharp alertness when traversing through the darkness and alien sounds of enemy territory had been useful to boot.

Jack glanced at the map splayed out on his desk, the faded paper yellowed with age, marked with black ink everywhere. Their journey was marked, day-by-day, and his logbook was sitting on top of a northern corner of the map, waiting. He pursed his lips before reaching for it, the candles out and sunlight streaming in through the windows.

Might as well get it over with. He'd have to direct the crew from here on in now; the directions needed were going to be tricky. Well…they would be, if he were any ordinary captain, with an ordinary ship and an ordinary compass.

But he wasn't quite so ordinary, now was he?

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"You seem calmer."

"Mmm."

It was the only reply he received. He thinned his lips into a straight line, carefully masking his face in neutrality. In all truth, he was really actually annoyed. All he got from Lupin for the past week were monosyllable answers. Ever since they escaped the Navy, she had withdrawn herself, either looking extremely bored or…empty. Even Bishquet hadn't been able to wrangle the usual, crack shot and feral Lupin out of her shell.

Edward was more concerned, however, than angry with her.

She had watched man die in front of her, shot in cold blood. And all she had done was stand there, gaping, breathing coming in short, ragged pants at the sight, almost in disbelief. He finally had to stop and bring her back to the issue at hand and keep her running towards the _Pearl_ before she had gotten shot herself. He told her to keep running. She had complied, although he was certain she wasn't really listening to him.

After the storm, after recovering from it all, she had…curled up in a shell and remained behind her little protective shield. Bishquet gave up several days ago and told him to leave her alone as well, to let her sulk through it. He didn't quite agree with the method, but she looked him straight in the eye with those sharp, fiery brown eyes and told him, "She'll come out of it one way or another. And if she doesn't, God give me strength, I'll pummel her until she does."

He didn't question the validity of her threat. The spark in her eyes was all he needed as confirmation that she might just follow up on her words.

So, now he had resigned himself to merely keeping tabs on her, making sure she didn't do something incredibly stupid or even suicidal…or both. Thankfully, though, he didn't have to monitor everything; she at least was capable of doing her provided obligations, such as her galley duties and taking her ritual sword lessons. She seemed to blank out the most when she held the sword in her hand.

Now, of course, was when he did get annoyed with her. She usually held up conversation around this time when he sat with her, or at least struck it up when he refused to do so. It seemed, however, the roles had been switched and he was playing the forced mediator. He glanced at the skies. Iron-gray clouds clamped firmly over what had been blue skies over a week ago. It drizzled occasionally, but it did not get any worse like the hurricane they had worked through.

"So…nice weather, huh?" He tried jokingly, a weak laugh in his throat. It died down quickly when he glanced at Lupin, who had buried herself in a book to distract herself. It seemed to be all she was willing to do, other than her duties on the ship now. She'd been reading. A lot.

And her concentration, he would admit, was almost as impenetrable as his own. She half-nodded to him. "Mm-hmm."

His lips tipped into another frown and he repressed the urge to sigh. Whether it would be out of frustration or a sign of merely giving up, he didn't know.

"What're you reading?"

She blinked once before flipping the book shut, a finger on the page to mark her place and she switched the book to show him what it was. _The Blue Girl_ was read on the title at an angle above a girl in a skirt and tank top, her hair cut shortly. Charles de Lint was printed neatly near the top of the book cover. She mutely returned to her previous position of reading the book and ignoring him. She paused, however and cocked her head to the side and sneezed loudly.

She sniffled and wiped at her nose, huddling closer in on herself. "Cold?"

Lupin shrugged.

Now he was growing frustrated. He may not agree half the time of what came out of the wolf's mouth, but she at least was entertaining to listen to when she told him a story. Her hands flailed and moved and reenacted things; she had a good vocabulary and she was always smiling. This frown marring her lips bugged him to no end. He didn't like this cold, useless shell. It was too fast a change on a dismally small place like this and neither Bishquet nor his brother was helping him.

"Come on. Say something. Anything. I know you want to." He prodded. She poignantly continued to ignore him before going rigid and sneezing once more. She proceeded to sniffle and wipe at her nose again.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped at the conspicuously loud clack of leather boots against wood.

"It's lunch. Why aren't you making it?"

Ah, the ever blunt Leech. He had never really been one for grand entrances or great opening words. Edward remained quiet as the man stopped before them, although his attention was focused on Lupin. She ignored Leech too, just as she had done with him. The man's lips turned into an ugly sneer.

"I said that it was lunch. Why aren't you _making_ _it?_"

Finally Lupin closed her book with a harsh snap. She didn't bother marking her place and she merely handed the tiny book to Edward. He fumbled for a moment before catching a good hold on it. Lupin, in the meantime, looked to her right wrist, where a thin, red bracelet encircled it. She scrutinized it for a moment, lips pursed.

"Well, according to my bracelet, it's a half-stitch past eleven. It's not lunch and you're not getting it before everyone else. Sit yer ass down and wait like everyone else, you just had breakfast." She finally snapped. Sarcasm dripped heavily from her words. For a moment, Leech stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face. Edward stared as well. He had heard some fairly harsh tones come out of her mouth, but they had hardly ever touched base upon mocking and blunt like that.

It seemed Leech finally found some words and he grunted harshly. "You and your books. You must be high and mighty where you come from, thinking that you're better than any of us on this ship, just because you can _read._" His eyes gained a nasty light and Edward tensed. From that split moment, he had a feeling things were going to get worse. "But then again, sleeping with the captain like the many whores he's had—,"

She moved in on Leech.

Fast.

Edward was boggled. Lupin stood over him, fists at her sides, Leech on the ground, holding his face in shock. For a moment, Ed mirrored the image of Lupin standing there with Bishquet from a few weeks ago, when she had justified Leech with a punch to the face in defense for her friend.

The wolf stood, calm and quiet, soft pants channeled through her nose and her muscles tense and still. "And you're a moronic bigot who wouldn't know a lady from a whore if she stepped on your crotch, you egotistical bastard."

He stared, a mixture of fear, bewilderment and anger in his eyes. Edward didn't know whether to step in or not. He merely stared at the two of them before he noticed the audience that had stopped to watch. Even Jack had stopped to watch from the helm, his face unreadable.

"I suggest you wait, like everyone else. You step over the line with me again, and I promise you that you won't get away with just a punch in the jaw, motherfucker."

Edward finally stood up and placed a consoling hand on Lupin's shoulder, pulling her back from her rigid stance. If anything, she grew even more taut under his touch and she glanced at him. He saw the red of anger in her eyes and he pursed his lips before shaking his head. "Come on. You've done enough."

She stared, eyes still burning with that red, harsh rage before she finally ducked her gaze and her body relaxed, if grudgingly. Leech, however, stayed where he was, almost as if he were hoping that if he were to stay still enough, she wouldn't attack him again. Edward narrowed his eyes at him. "Bother her or Bish again, and I promise you, they won't be the only ones kicking your ass around on this ship." He grunted bluntly at the man. Leech said nothing, although he turned his vehement gaze towards Edward as well.

He ignored it and steered Lupin away from the man. He glanced up at the helm, where Jack remained as silent as the rest of the crew, although he remained blank. Jack's gaze met Edward's for a brief moment. He met him with a challenging glare. Jack's lips twitched before he told the crew to get back to work. They complied, albeit in a quieter manner now, and as he began to lead Lupin below decks, he caught some of the crew looking between him and the wolf warily.

He allowed a brief smirk to allot to his features. At least the crew knew not to mess with them any longer…especially with a certain volatile little wolf, who would now snap at someone if they so much as ticked her off enough.

But that didn't mean he wasn't disturbed with how much force Lupin had used in her words. He's heard her get angry and not be afraid to project that anger into her words. A few times, it's been shot at him. He's also heard her cuss, sometimes profusely, other times sparingly.

That had been overkill. Not by her crude and crusty language, or the anger, but by how much she seemed to actually _mean_ her words. Her emphasis in it all hinted to Edward that not only did she mean her words, but she'd most likely find the strength to actually go through with what she said; what she'd do, however, could only be assumed and he rather would not pretend any scenarios that _might_ happen.

When they finally reached Lupin and Bish's little cubby, he pulled back the curtains and Lupin wordlessly slipped inside, curling up in her corner, having reverted back to her silent state. He too slipped into the little cubby and sat on Bish's cot. He twirled the back in his hand for a moment, toying with it before holding it out to her. She stared at it blankly before taking it.

"He was dead, wasn't he?"

Her quiet words threw him off and he stared at her, boggled.

"At Tripoli…he was dead."

Slowly it trickled back to him before he figured out what she was talking about. He pursed his lips before nodding.

"Yeah. He was. I'm sorry."

Lupin ducked her gaze, glancing at her knuckles with a disinterested stare.

"He died in front of me…but I'm not even…" She paused briefly. "I'm not freaking out or…upset."

He waited.

"I should be and I'm not." She finally continued. Lupin looked at him. Her expression would have been blank, but if it weren't for the slightly knit brows or that searching look, he would have thought she really did look like she didn't care. "I think there's something wrong with me."

Edward frowned and he chose his words with care. "I don't think it has anything to do…with you, Lupin. Nor is it your fault." He studied her for a moment and she seemed expectant of him, waiting. He continued. "I can't tell you what's going on with you…I guess only you can do that. I don't know _what_ to tell you either, but…dammit, I'm…I'm not really good with this stuff. Sorry." He rubbed at the back of his head, grimacing. He really wasn't good with this and he finally gained some sort of expression from the wolf. She quirked a brow at him, if only slightly; well, it was a start, wasn't it?

He sighed.

"Look, I know that…that you saw someone die. And I'm sorry that it happened, but we couldn't control everything that happened, all right? Seeing someone die is…traumatic, for most people." He paused, licking his lip before clearing his throat and continuing, although he lowered his voice. "It's one thing to see someone die and to kill someone. And…I've done both. Be lucky you've only done one and not the other."

Lupin studied him, and he saw the understanding in her eyes light up. She pulled her gaze away from him and nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your problem. Just worry about making it through this hell…and getting your friend through, too." An idea came to him. He smiled a little. "Make it a mission to keep you and Bish alive; I heard that you like taking on tough missions."

He saw her glance at him from the side of her eye. The brow quirked up again. "…Who told you that?"

He grinned a little more. At least he was coaxing _something_ out of her, other than her usual quote of monosyllable answers she'd been giving everyone for the past week. Hell, even her harsh words towards Leech had been more than enough earlier.

"A little birdie. She told me you like complicated stuff; simplicity just isn't your style and this whole place is complicated enough for your tastes. So, why not try to wrangle it down and figure it out?"

She said nothing, but she had finally turned to actually look at him again. He took this as a hint to continue. "She also told me that you know a lot about this place because of all the books you read. So why don't you take that knowledge and put it to even more use and help us out some, huh?"

Lupin tilted her head just so, as if observing him from afar. Finally she shrugged, but that had been his only reply.

He simply took it as a yes.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	35. The Sketch

**The Sketch**

**Reviewers: **

**YaoiLuvr**

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**Abruptly Wandering**

**Dontmezwitme**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I will not kid you. **_**This**_** was the **_**unholy chapter**_** that took me **_**months**_** to get around to. **_**This**_** would be the main cause of my months-long hiatus and lack of updates. I apologize. I'll try to be moving forward with this story because I **_**really**_** don't want to quit it. I love this story too much and surprisingly, the writing for the first chapters, I really like. That's rare for me, and I honestly don't like my writing from like, two or three years ago. xD**

**Also, most of my skills for this story were drained, and the repetitive task of going through the same five or six minute opening sequence of DMC over and over again… Yeah, one of the factors that really drained me. Lucky I get to go over it for the whole movie and then do it again for AWE. xD At least I can put intermediate scenes in between off-screen action, right? :D**

**Now, just to warn y'all, I'm going to be changing some dialogue and actions for the movies around. Perhaps it will be major, or even minor, depending on how much Edward and the others affect what things happen. I'm sure if you pay very close attention, you'll notice whether it was a minor or major.**

**And, a very big thanks for everyone who reviewed! My goodness, so many people, it was making me dizzy! But, in a good way, I promise! I love your reviews, my lovely readers; they made me smile very much so when you gave them, so again, thank you very much! 8D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Drawing is putting a line around an idea.  
_**- Henri Matisse**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

There came the sound of tinkling of the rain softly pattering against the China tea sets rang softly in the air. The flapping of wet paper crinkled in the wind, continuously spat upon by the falling heavens. A few fell free from their stands and flopped uselessly into puddles on the ground. Chairs sat empty. No voices spoke, no whispers of chattering joy. No sunlight was there to stream down upon this would-be happy day. A lone figure, dressed for her would-be happy day, sat in a crouch, a beautiful bouquet of white flowers clenched in her hands, eyes drawn to the ground, seemingly unaware of the activities in the bay.

Ships sat in the bay, coughing up little spindly figures. Faint trickles of shouts rose above the din of the rain. Little boats began piling up on the shores. A flag wove in the air, brandishing a symbol with the letters "**E I CO.**" branded into its dark cloth. The distant horizon shone ever so slightly, like a shell in dim lighting. The skies around Port Royal, however, remained dismal and bleak. Thunder growled deep and throatily with the accompaniment of lightning forking through the skies. The bobbing boats floated closer towards the shoreline, silent and strong. The red-uniformed soldiers leaped out when their lifeboats were secured, running to stand at attention. A figure on a horse, proud and prominent trotted up and down line of men, holding himself with an air of regality. He directed the horse with sharp wits about him, controlled and calm in his mannerisms as he viewed his troupe.

His orders were issued.

They tromped through the streets of Port Royal, marching in a continuous, looping motion, nothing out of place. Left, right, left, right, left, right… People watched from their homes, fear in their eyes, with curiosity on their faces. Children were ushered away while their parents kept them safe from the sight of the red coats striding through their streets on this wet day.

The doors to a lone blacksmith's workstation were promptly pried open, men armed to their very teeth. They streamed inside, silent and demanding, weapons trained on the sole living person in the room. Another figure, dressed accordingly in the uniform of royal blue and gold instead of lobster red, strode forward. Shackles dangled from his hand and he nodded to the young man, revising his rights, but not his crime.

William Turner, intercepted before he could marry the beautiful woman he's loved for so long, was forced to give himself up. Even if he fought, he knew which would win the quickest over his swords and that would be the bullet. Silently, he pulled his hat over his head, held out his hands and wordlessly gave himself up. Pointless to fight, he reminded himself. He may have been quick with the sword, but not quick enough to beat the bullet.

The guns remained trained on him until he was shackled. He held his head high as he walked down the streets and he ignored what stares he received from those who viewed from the safety and moderate warmth of their homes. Soldiers marched behind him and others trotted ahead on either side of him. They knew they had their prize. They could withdraw from the town's streets. Why he was their prize was beyond him. A pang of relief welled within him when he realized that they were taking him to where he was supposed to marry Elizabeth. Another part was filled with grief, but he didn't allow it to show.

At least he wouldn't be leaving her in the dark, or standing her up in such an unruly manner…

Elizabeth herself had not moved from her spot. She remained in the rain, her dress, her makeup, her hair, all of her arrangements…ruined, and not by just the rain. Someone called to her. She turned, and dropped the bouquet, where they fell in a dull heap on the wet ground. She stood, picking up the hem of her dress and she ran to the voice, ignoring its source and only seeing the one person she truly cared for. It registered to her the amount of people there as well. It gave her heart a start, but she hid it well as she ran up the small steps and towards him. She huffed out a little, breathing his name. She was flooded, though. Her hands pawed helplessly, her eyes taking a quick rove over his handsome uniform, his meticulous appearance. The shackles encased around his wrists alarmed her, but she was more pressed by the soldiers.

"Why is this happening?"

He watched her, stared her straight in the eyes with a soft shake of the head. "I don't know."

She looked away, trying to keep the sobs from breaking out. She picked at his outfit instead, staring at her hands. Her eyes were brought back up, as well as the weak smile on her lips at his next words. "You look beautiful."

"I think it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding." She replied glibly, although it wasn't as strong a remark as she had hoped. Her voice cracked slightly.

Behind her, a ruckus formed. She recognized her father's voice, rising above the din of what finely dressed citizens dared come to this spectacle.

"Make way, let me through!" A pause before he caught his breath as he shoved his way forward. Staffs barred his way from his daughter and his son-in-law-to-be, held stiffly and uniformly by the red lobsters. "How _dare_ you! Stand your men down at once! Do you hear me?"

He gave a hearty glare at the backside of the man who knew was to be in charge. There was no doubt about it, he just knew the man there was in charge. The man in question pivoted a few moments afterwards, brushing his coat from his shoulders as a lieutenant came to pull the coat off fully.

"Governor Weatherby Swann, it's been too long."

Governor Weatherby, in question, stared. He blinked three times before the name immediately sprang to his aging mind. "Cutler Beckett?" He questioned, momentarily thrown off guard by the man's presence.

"It's _Lord_ now, actually," the man—Lord Beckett—corrected smartly.

The Governor's way was no longer barred and he watched for a moment before he stepped forward confidently. "Lord or not, you have _no_ reason and _no_ authority to arrest this man!" Governor Weatherby replied with a clipped tone. As he said this, he motioned to Will, looking between his son-in-law-to-be and Lord Beckett pointedly. To this, Lord Beckett answered fairly quickly.

"In fact, I do. Mr. Mercer." A man to Lord Beckett's right stepped to his side and flipped a leather folder over, and held it out to his superior. Lord Beckett reached over and pulled out a slip of paper. "The warrant for the arrest of one William Turner."

Then the sheet of paper was passed to Governor Weatherby. Confused, he took it and averted his gaze to William and Elizabeth. Then he flipped the folder paper back and read over it. His confusion increased and he looked up suddenly, gazing at Beckett, back at the paper and then to his beloved daughter. He returned his eyes back to the paper; reading it over and over again and he couldn't believe the words as he said them slowly. "This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann…"

How could it be for Elizabeth? She has done nothing wrong! And she was his daughter, for God's sakes; even if she had, he would have given her clemency and hid anything she'd done to keep her safe. And he already had, when she had been kidnapped by those vicious pirates, those skeletal and nightmarish creatures of hell…

"Oh, that's annoying. My mistake. Arrest her." Lord Beckett said simply.

Two men from behind Elizabeth, garbed in blue and gold, stepped forward and began to work on her. They grabbed her arms as she struggled. "On what charges!" She shouted. Will took on step forward, only to be pulled back as he gave out a cry of defiance. It was too late, however. She was already being clapped in irons. Lord Beckett paid no heed as Mercer still held out the leather-bound folder to his superior, and another paper was pulled out.

"_Here's_ the one for William Turner." Governor Weatherby took the paper with an impatient gesture as Lord Beckett continued. "And I have another one for a Mr. James Norrington. Is he present?" He stepped forward, yet another official paper—another document for arrest warrants—held up in the air as he addressed the crowd. Elizabeth, however, was not so patient with his indifference and once more shouting to him.

"What are the charges?!"

"Commodore Norrington resigned his commission some months ago." Governor Weatherby replied quietly to Lord Beckett. In turn, the man pivoted towards the governor, his eyes sharp and pointed as he stared at the elder man.

"I don't believe that was the answer to my question."

"Lord Beckett," Will interrupted. Lord Beckett turned to Will as he continued, "In the category of questions not answered…"

"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's Governor of Port Royal and you will tell us what we are charged with." Elizabeth finished, her tone filled with authority and defiance as the irons were set in place, her arms held by the two blue and gold garbed men. Lord Beckett watched the two of them, a small and wry smile on his face.

"The charge," Elizabeth's father disrupted, "is conspiring to set a man free convicted of crimes against the Crown of Empire…" He paused, before uttering the last of what was written on the document. "And condemned to death. For which…" He couldn't finish. Beckett did the honor of that.

"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death." He sounded anything but regrettable. He even seemed to have that twitch at the tips of his lips, almost as if the temptation of smiling was only held back by years of self-restraint. Will looked to Elizabeth, but she would not meet his gaze. Her eyes, heated with hate and anger, were locked on Lord Beckett as he stepped forward and added, "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow."

"_Captain!_" Will and Elizabeth both corrected sternly simultaneously. He did not blink at their correction and slowly turned to look at Elizabeth. She still held that sleeve of anger on her face as she stared him down.

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow." She repeated sternly. Lord Beckett smiled, amused.

"Captain Jack Sparrow." He repeated, his tone dripping with ice, condescension, and ridicule all at once. He smiled again. "Yes, I thought you might."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"What's taking him so long? I thought he said he'd be done in just a few _hours_, not a whole _day_."

Bishquet was livid. And worried. They'd been docked in the middle of the bloody ocean for nearly twenty-four hours, as she had claimed, and it wasn't helping her paranoia that Jack had been gone for nearly that long. Her nerves were twitchy and if she had a gun, Lupin suspected she'd be taking up Jack's little game of "Shoot the Bloody Monkey". Thank God they were only given the guns in gun lessons. And even those were very scarce, due to the lack of availability of gunpowder and ammunition when on the high seas. Swords, however, were an entirely different story. Just grab one from a neighbor's belt, or from the barrel where they're kept down below and you were ready to go.

But, all Lupin could do was watch her friend pace endlessly across the quarterdeck, muttering to herself in a mixture of elegant Spanish and cruder English. It was growing dark, the skies only adding to the gloomy outlook on life at the moment. The harsh crackles of thunder and the glow on the horizon of the lightning only sent more chills down the spines of everyone who watched. The hurricane was close, but it wouldn't pass over them. They could see it, though, and it sent horrific memories through everyone's minds. Mediterranean hurricanes were just as hostile as open sea ones, no less merciful.

She went back to her little notebook, making a list of things she had. It was mostly just boredom that made her do inventory. She suggested to Bish to do the same thing, but her friend was too riled up at the moment to suggest. Perhaps afterwards, when she had calmed down…

At the moment, she was recounting books. _Tithe_ by Holly Black; _A Sound of Thunder and Other Stories_ by Ray Bradbury; _Fahrenheit 451 _that was also by Ray Bradbury; _Dracula_ by Bram Stoker, _The Blue Girl_ by Charles de Lint; _Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen; _Romeo and Juliet_ by William Shakespeare. There were others, but she couldn't think of their titles at the moment.

She had wanted a more diverse set of books, to stray from her usual collection of Michael Crichton or Stephan King. She wanted to read more classical literature. The only modernized books she had on her were _The Blue Girl_ and _Tithe_. She had made two little goals to finish all her books before the end of her trip and to start on another comic for _Romeo and Juliet_. She hadn't even finished up her first novel of _Tithe_ by the time they were rescued by Jack and his crew. She never started the comic and didn't see herself starting again for a long time. Instead, she'd loaned out her books to the Elric brothers, continued her reading, and offered Bishquet to read her things as well. But, now she was slowly progressing through them. _Tithe_ was finished, as was _Fahrenheit 451_. _The Blue Girl_ was being thoroughly combed through, as was her inventory of other things.

Pen to paper, she scratched her messy handwriting across it, lips pursed as she kept one ear on Bishquet, and kept her other ear for anything else. Mr. Gibbs was in charge, keeping the men in line. Lunch had been finished off not too long ago; spiced meat and with a vegetable side to chow on as well.

"—And I _swear_ _to God_, if we _die_ before even reach that voodoo woman, I'll come back and haunt his ass until _he_ dies, and then I'm gonna kick his sorry ass in the afterlife!"

Lupin jolted at the sudden threat and looked up once more, seeing Bish looking darkly over the railing, her lips jammed into a scowl. She pushed back her short, curled mass of hair and let out a heavy sigh. Lupin got up and closed her notebook as she did so, stuffing her pen in her pocket, going over to stand by her friend. Bish gave her glance and then looked back out to the craggy cliffs out across the sea. "God, I could go for a cigarette."

Bishquet ignored the pointed glare and narrowed eyes Lupin gave her. Bish knew how much she hated hearing her friend mutter it like she did. The actual yearning for one was what bugged the wolf. She didn't even smoke, and she wanted one. Lupin, however, chose to say nothing.

Footsteps approached. Bish didn't look. Lupin did. She turned her eyes over to look at the approaching Edward and studied him for a moment, then leaned on the railing beside her friend. She sighed in acquiescence. "You know…" She finally muttered. "I hate the damn things, but…Godammit, woman, I think I'd go for one too."

Bish raised a brow at her friend, looking to her before giving out a derisive snort.

"Yeah, yeah, you say that. You wouldn't inhale."

"Probably not."

Edward settled beside Lupin without a word, looking across at what Bish had been only moments before. He exhaled slowly, lips pursed. "Think he's doing what he said he's doing?"

The question gave Lupin pause and she glanced at him.

"Yes." She finally answered. He looked at her. Bish shifted behind Lupin's turned back and she heard the woman moving away. Edward studied her face, frowning.

"How can you put so much faith into one man like that?" He asked, incredulous.

"That's like asking people of religion why they follow their invisible friend called 'God' and they believe he'll save them from the end of the world." She smiled a little when he remained speechless, but gave her a little smirk. Then she lightly shrugged at him "I don't know why. He may be a pirate; a thief of the sea and…a very shifty character, but… He's also a good man. All the stories I've heard of him from Gibbs, he just steals or impersonates people to get by in life. There aren't any murderous stories about Jack, no rape stories. He's…a special kind of pirate."

Ed considered her answer, turning away to look back at the cliffs, mulling over it. He sighed just as heavily as Bish had. It was a sigh of a burden on the shoulders and he remained still and silent for a long while. Lupin followed his quiet example and merely stood next to him, looking out as well.

"I don't know if you should be believing all the stories Gibbs tells you."

"I don't." He glanced at her, a brow raised. Lupin continued. "Some stories are too…how to put this… They're too _ridiculous_ to even consider being wholly truthful. There may be some truth inside the stories, but I know that Jack wouldn't kill without reason, and he'd rather have a willing partner in bed than force his way with a girl."

"And you should know that one, right?"

Lupin stiffened. Then she narrowed her eyes at Edward, her lips pursed angrily. He blinked and then averted his gaze quickly. Her muscles trembled with the force of keeping herself calm. She clenched her jaw and shook her head, looking away. She huffed, smiling in disbelief and she looked back at him. "You really don't have any people skills, do you?"

Then she turned to walk away. He grasped at her wrist, holding her back. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that, Lupin—,"

She jerked away from him, giving him a glare. "Right, like there's any nice way of saying what you said." She pursed her lips tightly again at him. She sniffed and shook her head again. "You…are really something else, you know that?"

She walked away and Edward didn't stop her this time. He punched the railing instead, glaring at the cliffs, cursing the man that moved like a shadow inside. "Dammit. Dammit to _hell_, Jack."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was close to midnight. Gibbs was on guard. He was patrolling the decks, on his shift and a bottle of rum in his hand and he sang a shanty to keep to the time. The irony of his shanty was his choice of music and choice of drink.

"_Fifteen men on a dead man's chest;  
__Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum  
__Drink and the Devil, and damn for the rest  
__Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!_"

He laughed and then drank heartily from the bottle. Or, the seasoned sailor would have drank as heartily as he wanted, but a simple sip was what he managed before the gong of a bell alerted him. He dropped his hand and sharply turned his head this way and that, suddenly very alert and sober. Ahead, the caws of large crows made him look skyward. They were visible as dark shapes moving across the sky against the greenish glare of the fog and clouds.

The crows flew onward, towards the sound of the gonging bells, shrieking at the rumble, flapping towards the stone bridge carved out of the cliffs. Lights illuminated their way.

On the bridge, tired and scared men, trembling with fear and trepidation and the rattle of chains on their hands and feet kept them unnerved. The soft glow of fire and torches lit their own way forward as they were ushered unwillingly to their cages or even deaths. Hunched over and crying out in fear, they obliged, condemned to their fates. The last man in the convoy was being dragged, his feet useless and bloodied. He begged, crying out with pleas of mercy while the crows descended upon other men in hanging cages. Some were already dead, others crying out in terrified fear. All they could do was scream.

They fell upon the carrion inside these cages, pecking with sharp black beaks. Another man cried in agony as the ebony hellions descended upon him, pecking at his eyes. He screamed from his cage as he was eaten alive, while the man that was being dragged on the bridge in his irons cried out. Soon, his wordless howls were muffled by a set of a large, wooden and iron-wrought doors closing on him.

Elsewhere, a pathway was carved in another section of the land, on another landing area of cliffs and waves. Here, the dead of the Turkish prison were tossed into the sea, covered by cheap wood and nails. Torches were planted along the path, to guide the way for the wagon and the people who escorted it. The men moved rhythmically, heaving the dead prisoners in their coffins, moving towards the cliff's edge, and tossed the next coffin over. It landed into the white foam, bobbing against the pull and push of the tide. The coffin was silently carried out to sea on the white foam and brackish waves.

Not long after the coffins had drifted into calmer waters, a black crow, lonely for a long ways from its own flock, landed on one of the coffins and cawed. Repeatedly, it began to tap at the wood, the prospect of food the only thing on its little birdie mind. Suddenly, a loud bang erupted from the coffin the crow had landed on. The bird exploded into the air, dead, and landed in the cold waters seconds later. It didn't feel pain when it was shot at.

A pistol pushed its way through the hole and was cocked cautiously, the hand swiveling the barrel about, still smoking from its last shot. It was quiet, and with a few more turnabouts, the hand descended back into the coffin. Then, a body emerged, strong and wiry and very much alive.

Captain Jack Sparrow had made his grandeur appearance and his more than perfect escape. Gruffly, he began splintering the wooden cover of the coffin away, knocking the flimsy material into the water besides him, pistol still in hand. Immediately, he became very alert of his surroundings, looking around to see if he had indeed escaped, safe and sound. Satisfied, he dug his hand back into the coffin and produced his hat, squarely placing it on his head. There, now, he felt much more complete.

Glancing about him, he thought only for a quick moment what he could use for an oar. An idea followed through and he reached back inside the coffin once more.

"Sorry, mate." He muttered quietly to the corpse still within the coffin. A loud, sickening crunch followed his apology and he pulled out a leg, dismembered from the knee down. "You don't mind if we make a little side trip, do you?"

He began to quietly paddle away, glad that the skies were finally clear of the haze and the blotting clouds. He had moonlight to move by, and he knew where his ship would be. "I didn't think so."

When he arrived at the _Black Pearl_, still in place and still anchored to its spot, Mr. Gibbs was awaiting his arrival, as was the rest of the crew. The girls were present, as well as the Elric brothers, he noticed, as Mr. Gibbs held out his hand for his captain. Instead, he received the leg that Jack had used as a paddle and the older man held it, not quite sure what to say of it. Finally, he managed, "Not _quite_ according to plan…"

"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome…" Mr. Cotton came behind Jack and replaced the captain's jacket on his shoulders. Jack quietly slipped it back on as the old man and his parrot grinned after him. Lupin stood beside Mr. Cotton, rubbing the bird's head before following after Jack. Mr. Gibbs handed off the leg to Mr. Cotton.

Mr. Gibbs passed the wolf and she trailed after Mr. Gibbs as he asked, "You got what you went in for, then?"

"What is it?" Lupin asked quickly afterwards.

Jack mumbled an affirmation and waved something at the two. Lupin knew what it was right off the bat. She glanced at Gibbs, and only saw disappointment on the old seadog's face. Of course he didn't know what it was… Bish stood a little away from the crew, Alphonse at her side and Edward by his brother's. She ignored Ed and looked to Bishquet. Her friend shrugged. Lupin eyed the leather piece Jack had, and she could practically trace every corner of what was sketched on there in her mind.

The rest of the crew, however, were not as jubilant in the prospective harvesting of whatever it was their captain had gone after—alone.

Leech, Harper, Lee and several other crewmembers confronted him. Actually, now that she looked at them, it was the whole crew. Lupin stood by Jack's side, eyes narrowed at the men in distrust. She's heard whispers of possible mutiny. She didn't like it, not one bit. If she had to, she'd fight tooth and nail against these bastards if things change and things do go down.

"Cap'n, I think the crew—meaning, me as well—were expecting something a bit more…_shiny_. What, with the Isle de Muerta going all pear-shaped, and to be claimed by the sea, and the treasure along with it."

"And the Royal Navy chasing us all around the Atlantic and Mediterranean." Leech imputed. Lupin noticed sharply the change of his words.

"And the hurricanes!" Marty gruffly added with a growl in his voice. There was a collective agreement of "Ayes" all around from Jack's crew.

He viewed all the faces, noticing the dark glints in his crew's eyes. Lupin wondered, even now when she was up close and personal with the man, if he was sensing that mutinous vibe she was feeling. Her hands twitched by her side and itched to grab at the hilt of the sword she had grabbed. She would be ready now; she wouldn't be caught off guard any longer. A knife wouldn't be useful to her any more. She knew how to use it. She needed to use it, if the time arises. And, because she and the other three were here, who knew how this might change things?

"All in all, it's seemed some time since we've done a speck of honest pirating." Gibbs finished up. Lupin, in the silence after Gibbs' remark, she heard Edward gave out a snort of derisiveness. She could practically hear his thoughts about _that_ comment alone. She looked around the faces, her eyes still narrowed and Leech gave her a sneer. She gave a mock scowl in return, but her she kept her eyes narrowed, silently challenging him. Her hand slowly grasped the hilt, furthering her quiet threat. Leech looked away quickly.

"Shiny?" Jack questioned beside her. Lupin snapped her head towards him.

"Aye, shiny." Gibbs replied in earnest. Jack nodded ever so slightly.

"Is that how you're all feeling, then? That perhaps dear ol' Jack is not serving your best interests as captain?"

"I'm fine with everything." Lupin shrugged. Jack gave her a glance.

"Well, I know you and your friends are fine with how things have been going so far, but I'm talking about the rest of the crew, dearie." He gave her shoulder a light pat before Mr. Cotton's parrot spoke up.

"Walk the plank!" Mr. Cotton immediately stifled any more uprisings with a hand. Jack reacted quickly with his gun, cocking it at the parrot. Lupin stiffened.

"What did the bird say?"

"Do not blame the bird." Leech said calmly. He glanced at Jack's hand, where the piece of leather with the little sketch, was still in his hand. "Show us, what is on that piece of cloth there."

Jack the Monkey swooped in out of nowhere, just as Captain Jack was about to oblige to Leech's curiosity. The undead creature screeched and Jack reacted quickly with a barrel pointed at the monkey. It, however, fizzled short and he gave out a disgruntled growl in his throat, looking at the gun in irritation. The monkey reacted just as quickly and landed on the deck, ripping the cloth from Jack's hand. Lupin darted forward. "Jack, give it back!"

The monkey paid her no heed, and scrambled about across the deck. Jack grabbed at another's pistol. He bellowed at Lupin, "Move, girl!"

She kicked off to the side without looking back and heard a shot being fired. Ahead of her, the monkey fell in a slump, then leapt up and scuttled off, as if nothing had happened. She swallowed; her legs shaky while Marty moved forward quickly on his little legs.

"You know that don't do no good." Gibbs pointed out to Jack.

"It does me."

"It's a key."

Lupin turned her head, looking at Marty while Jack scurried over.

"No! It's much more better! It is a _drawring_ of a key." He corrected and Lupin winced. She hated when someone pronounced it like that, she really did. Really, now, even after this time, he couldn't find the courtesy to pronounce the word correctly? Somebody touched her shoulder, and she turned to see it was Bish. She had moved closer to see what was going on. Alphonse and Edward had done the same. Lupin continued to pretend that she was not aware he was there, while she averted her gaze towards the cloth Jack was holding out proudly.

Her heart stopped momentarily when she saw the sketch of the key…the key that Davy Jones had. A shiver raced up and down her spine. The men moved forward, Gibbs in the lead. The seadog squinted at it, but no one said anything. Jack's smile faded and he tilted his head, just so.

"Gentlemen…what do keys do?" He asked the crew.

"Keys…unlock things?" Leech answered uncertainly. Bish snickered. If there was one thing Leech lacked in, it was in intelligence. He may be good with bullying and pirating, but he was far from winning a scholarship to any college, let alone attending any schools where they were from.

"And whatever this key unlocks, inside there's something valuable. So, we're setting out to find whatever this key unlocks!" Gibbs finished, rubbing his fingers, as if polishing a piece of silver or gold with his fingertips. He smiled as he did so, looking to his captain for confirmation.

"No," Jack replied. The smile faded from Gibbs' face and he gave a quizzical look to Jack. "If we don't have the key, we can't unopen whatever it is that it unlocks. So, what purpose would it be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, which we don't have, without first having found the key that unlocks it?"

At times, it was hard to argue with Jack. His logic always seemed to be sound, and, at the moment, Lupin thought it was no wonder he ensnared some rather unintelligent crewmembers such as Leech. They couldn't really argue if they didn't know how to. So, for the moment, she watched as things played out, hoping to keep things straight. She didn't need to butt into this affair, and she sensed Bishquet was feeling the same way.

"So, we're going after this key!" Gibbs corrected himself, excitement bubbling beneath his voice. Ah, this was why he joined the life of piracy. The ideals of riches, ready and waiting for the taking…the thoughts were bliss to the man. However, Jack pulled another of his mind tricks on Gibbs, further confusing him and the others.

"You're not making any sense at all, mate." He said, giving Gibbs a pointed stare. Gibbs' smile once more fell. Then Jack looked up and around the crew and shouted, "Any more questions?"

"So…" Marty began. Jack turned to look at the smaller man. "Do we have a heading?"

"Ah! A heading…"

Jack rifled for his compass almost in an excited manner and pulled it out, opening the device open. "Set sail in…"

He paused. Edward narrowed his eyes. While Jack mumbled to himself, Lupin heard Al ask, "What's he doing?"

"Being a complete idiot." Ed responded. The wolf clenched her fist in return, but quelled her anger forcefully, keeping her eyes glued on Jack as he pointed in the air, continuing to mumble to himself. She saw the men comically follow his pointed finger that sailed in the air, weaving back and forth

Finally, he declared, with his men looking in the wrong direction at first, "That way, direction!"

There was a pause between Jack and his men.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs finally asked uncertainly. Jack turned to face him once more, snapping his compass shut.

"Come on, snap to and make sail. Come on, you know the drill. Oi, oi, oi!" The crowd of pirates parted as Jack moved through them, flailing the key sketch at them and they watched him. Some moved to work immediately, others were reluctant to move at all.

Bish frowned after the captain and looked to Lupin. The wolf's eyes were narrowed and it worried the Hispanic woman. "Loopy?"

Lupin pursed her lips in return. "Something's wrong. His compass wasn't working right for him."

"Like it ever worked for him. I doubt he's even using it right." Edward remarked snidely, staring after Jack as well.

The wolf had heard enough. She growled deep in her throat and glared at Ed. He noticed almost immediately. She glowered a few moments more, sharp and angry words tipping the end of her tongue. She wanted to shout at him, smack him something good upside the face. Her fists even clenched tightly into balls, her nails digging painfully into the palms of her hands. She finally unclenched her fists, and then lowered her fierce gaze to the ground and forced herself to look anywhere, away from Edward. Then she walked away without a word.

Bishquet stared after her friend, looking at Ed a few times, and then back at Lupin's retreating backside. "What the fuck was _that_ about?"

Edward looked away, avoiding Bish's narrowed gaze and his brother's curious stare.

"Something I have to go fix before it gets out of hand." He finally murmured quietly. Then he followed after Lupin's path, sidestepping a few of the crew who moved in his way without realizing it.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	36. Second Chances

**Second Chances**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**KageArai**

**Shinzochi**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Lizzy Lou**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**To answer Lizzy Lou's question, yes, I do use a script—one I found online—and I watch the movie, and sometimes, I have to re-watch a scene several times in order to get the reactions down just right. It is difficult at times, but I try to be as accurate, but just as quick, as possible.**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_It is by chance that we met, but by choice we became friends.  
_**- Anonymous**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He called after her when he hit below decks. She ignored him, naturally, and he felt a twang of guilt ripple through him. Maybe he was deserving of this, but talking to her than acting like a stubborn idiot wouldn't get either of them anywhere. They've constantly fought, clashed and butted heads too often. It was time that he took damage control, fixed things before they got too out of control and even before they reached an unbearable level. It would certainly do everyone—including the both of them—much better. Besides, it usually ended up with her apologizing or trying to make amends. Perhaps it really should be his turn to take the reins this time. Edward walked at a brisk pace behind the wolf. She couldn't really go anywhere, except dodge behind the wooden beams here; jump around a cannon there; perhaps scuttle around some crates somewhere yonder.

When he finally caught up to her, he reached out to pull her back, mindful of keeping his own temper in check. He was here to make things better, not worse and the last thing he needed was to fall to her sharp tongue and get overly riled up. He'd never hear the end of it from Alphonse. Worse still, he'd never hear the end of it from Bishquet either, and perhaps several jeers from some of the men as well. Really, it wouldn't take them long to hear of it; it was hard to keep secrets from the men for very long. It was hard enough with just the four of their little exclusive "club"; he didn't want to hear it from the crew at all.

As Ed began to pull Lupin back, she whirled around quickly, a fist raised to punch him square in the jaw. She was fast, but he was faster, much faster. He caught it without flinching or blinking and gave her fist a squeeze. If she felt the pain, she didn't show it on her face. Instead she glared at him angrily, but he saw the churning pain behind watering eyes and she ducked her gaze from his almost immediately, her shoulders shaking.

"You bastard. You utter _bastard_." She growled under her breath. Lupin jerked her fist away from him and turned away. He didn't let her get far and wrapped his arms around her torso, locking himself against her. She jerked, trying to force herself free. She kicked out on the floorboards with her steel-toes, tried jabbing him in the stomach with her elbows and tried a few times to overthrow him by wriggling about wildly, maybe slam him against something to get him to loosen his grip on her. He heard a few colorful curses fly out of her mouth and for some odd reason, it only made him grin like an idiot, even if she couldn't see it. It took him a great deal not to taunt her a little and rile her up, maybe even laugh a little. She was often such a tough little thing, that to have her suddenly locked up and put still with little effort on his part…no doubt it stung her pride horribly. Instead, he kept quiet. He didn't need to encourage a fight out of her.

He held on strong, keeping her in place and found a niche on her shoulder to rest his head on, to keep her from butting the back of her skull into his nose. The last thing he needed was a broken nose and bloodied up face. She growled again, this time in his ear and a few seconds later, he heard the sob in her throat.

"I'm not letting go until we resolve this, until we talk this problem out. Got it?" She didn't answer. "Hey. I mean it. Even if we're here all night, I'm not moving. So stop squirming, so just…calm down, okay? Let's just…talk this out. No silent treatments, no nasty glares back and forth, no tempers. All right?"

She stilled, her breathing heavy from trying to pry herself loose. He didn't know if she was conserving her strength for another fight or if she was merely trying to show she was complying. "Can I let go now?"

He felt her nod, if jerkily beside his face and he pulled away, slowly, slipping his arms away from her. It suddenly felt colder when he did and he suppressed a shiver. She turned to look at him with that silent glower in her eyes. He stood strong, arms crossing over his chest as he waited. "Come on. Let's sit down."

Edward led her over to the hammocks he and his brother slept in and sat against the wooden beam that had one of the ties wrapped around it. Lupin stood, almost awkwardly, and she didn't look quite as angry as she had several minutes before. Finally though, she sat down, as far as she could allow, but close enough to please him.

"First of all," he started quietly. "I wanted to apologize. For earlier, I mean. I was out of line." He watched her and saw some of the tension in her body loosen. Not all, but it was a sign. She was calming down in the least, but he also saw there was still that raw anger and pain in her eyes. He frowned slightly, but continued. "And secondly, I don't know what I said that pissed you off so much a while before that, but I'm sorry for that, too."

The tension in her face released and she was no longer scowling. Only her pursed lips remained, but her brows weren't furrowed so deeply and knitted so tightly. She studied him, and soon, all her anger seemed to slowly be going away. Then the confusion set in her face and she ducked her gaze by burying her face into her drawn up knees. Her arms wrapped around it and she sat there for a few long minutes. He waited, unsure of whether to take that as a good sign or a bad one.

It was only after listening past the creaks of the ship as it began to move, the crank of chains as the anchor was lifted, and the shouts of men calling off orders to get the sheets unfurled did he hear it. She was crying. He didn't know what it was at first, but then it clicked and he blinked at her. He hesitated; hand pulled up to pat her shoulder, although reluctance held him back. Edward finally dropped his hand against her shoulder, giving it a soft shake or two and then she lifted her gaze to him.

Smeared tears were streaked on her faces and she lifted her face, scrubbing at her eyes and cheeks, sniffling and she gave out a hiccup. "I hate it…I'm-I'm away from home, and not even just…thousands of miles away from h-home. We're stuck t-three hundred fucking years in the g-goddamned past and I can't even keep myself u-under control!"

A few more tears leaked down her face and she cursed again, scrubbed her face and hiccupped a few more times. "A-and I can't…stop! I just w-want to go h-h-home!"

It took him a moment to realize she was only speaking half to him and perhaps ranting at the air as well. Then she dropped her face back against her knees and her shoulders shook with every sob she tried to suppress. He sat there, unsure of how to take the situation. He hadn't prepared for this part of the job; he actually would have preferred a spitting, ranting, cursing little wolf instead of the dry-heaving and sobbing one curled up beside him. He could handle the latter much better than the former. It was the awkwardness that had taken its toll over him and he sat there for a little while, waiting for her to calm down, and slow herself.

"I d-don't even-even know what to do anym-more…" She muttered with hiccups in between. "I mean…I look up to Bish like a big s-sister…and I can't even stay strong enough to stop from crying like a blubbering i-idiot. I'm…I'm so fucking _lost_."

It was the first time he's heard any real doubt come from her. Usually, she'd say everything would work out, or that it _had_ to work out. "_That's the way the story has to end, savvy?_"

Edward sighed heavily, reminding her that he was still here. She gave him a sort of sidelong glance, and then looked away, resting her chin on her knees. She sniffed, her hiccups coming less and less now. He didn't know how the conversation had suddenly switched from him apologizing to her spouting off on her insecurities. But, he trusted it was a somewhat hopeful sign; she didn't seem to be angry with him any longer. He moved a little closer, and she didn't seem to take notice, and if she had, didn't seem to care.

"You know what I hate about this place the most?" She sniffed at him finally. He raised a brow.

"What's that?" He inquired quietly.

"There's no chocolate…and I have a craving now…"

He stared for a moment. Then he slowly built up to laughing. It was small, but he saw a glimpse of a smile on her lips, but he wasn't sure if it was really the trick of the soft glow of lamps down there.

"Then maybe we should get some next time we make port." He suggested. She shook her head and the smile had on his face fell.

"We won't be making those stops anymore. Maybe before we get out of the Gibraltar pass, but…I doubt it. We'll be crossing the Atlantic and back to the Caribbean. And then, hopefully, Jack's friend."

The course of the trip sounded like it made so much sense to her, like she had something more to say than she was willing to divulge. He didn't press it, however much he wished to. He didn't need to have her shut him out again. Not after all of this.

"Maybe this friend of hers will have chocolate then. If we stop before, well…I'll find something."

Lupin looked to him, studying his face and for once he saw the lost little girl she claimed to be. It was more like she was searching for help than anything, but then she looked away and slumped against him, using him as a resting platform. He sat frozen, before relaxing slightly. "I've been an idiot, haven't I?"

He shifted to a more comfortable position and she did as well. He chuckled. "If that's your way of apologizing…"

"I've been an idiot…" She repeated with a mumble.

"Then you're forgiven, but am I?"

She sniffed. "…Yes."

Edward laughed again quietly. He waited for more, but none came. He sat there, quietly and patiently, and then turned to glance at the young woman using him as a place to rest her head, only to see she had fallen asleep. He blinked several times in surprise, but then he sighed, giving a few soft shakes of the head. Then he set to work on picking her up, just as the tromping of many boots and feet slapping noisily against the wooden stairs that led below deck. When he stood, Lupin curled up in his arms; he saw Bish and Al among them.

They gave him looks of surprise, especially his brother. Bishquet merely raised her brows at him, lips pinched in a thin line, and she glanced at her friend. Edward shrugged and then turned away towards the girls' cubby. It seemed everyone on the ship knew it as that: The Girls' Cubby. It sounded like a rather childish name of club, but it seemed apt, now that he thought of it. And it was even there, that they had—

"Come on, lemme help you before you trip and drop her. You might squish her if you do."

He ticked a brow at the voice behind him and stepped aside to allow Bish to push aside the curtain and she crawled in first, shuffling things aside. He crouched and settled Lupin down, glancing at Bish once more. She was still watching him carefully.

"You make nice with her?"

He nodded.

"Did she like, bite your head off in the process?"

"…Somewhat."

"You bash her around a little?"

"Slightly."

"Better have been verbally."

If there was another person that knew to push the right buttons on this ship, it was Bishquet. He ticked an annoyed brow at her as he backed out. "Only that. She did most of the self-bashing, though."

Surprise once more lined the Hispanic woman's face before she smiled a little. "Good. She needed to beat herself up instead of having someone else doing it for her. Get some sleep. You're going in the crow's nest tomorrow morning. Jack's orders."

"Ugh. Goody. I get to crash and sink the boat if I fall over."

"Then don't fall." Bish suggested. Then she looked past him and to where Alphonse was standing behind Ed, gave him a sharp little wink and then closed the curtains. Ed blinked, looking to his younger brother. He only got a smile and a small wave before Alphonse shuffled to his hammock. Ed stood there, looking back between Al and the curtain before he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Great."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lupin had been right. They did not stop all the way through the Mediterranean, except right before the Gibraltar pass. Items were restocked, traded or sold. Not much inventory, however, was served as selling or trading tools. Money dwindled, but at least chocolate was found, as Edward had promised. There seemed to be a lessening of tension between Lupin and Edward, and Bish hoped it would be for the best and for the long run. Bish and Al separately began to start journals, trying to recall everything on their previous days onboard the _Black Pearl_. Lupin started not too long after, and Edward not long after that.

"We should at least try to remember everything that happened, ya know? So when we look back on it all, we won't think we were crazy people. Not that we already aren't…" Bish had said. Lupin agreed to this wholeheartedly with a joke that got everyone laughing. The sailing back to the Caribbean over the Atlantic was a long one. It got colder as they left the Mediterranean and traveled deeper into the Atlantic. Jack seemed bent on making good time and his behavior was radically different from the Jack Lupin knew. It worried her. But, she also noticed, his game of "Shoot the Bloody Monkey" continued as long as Jack was annoyed with it. Tempers sometimes flared, but were quickly quelled. Sword lessons and the once-in-a-blue-moon game of shooting popped up. Lupin especially got better, with extra lessons with Edward and Alphonse on some occasions. Bish didn't seem to find anything beyond self-defense was worth exerting extra time over. She did, however, invest in some martial arts, but again, for self-defense.

Edward and Alphonse showed the crew something new and it was their sparring. They needed it, the two of them said. They'd get out of shape if they didn't and they had gone several long months without sparring. The ship had been their battleground and many had to admit, how graceful they flew around the masts, up the stairs and across the decks when they threw punches and sailed kicks around. Edward had especially been careful in his forms; one wrong move and he might've fallen over. Lupin and Bishquet cheered for Alphonse most of the time when the boys occasioned a spar. Edward lost all rounds, although Lupin cheered him up by offering him bits of her chocolate to him until she had none left to give.

However, as the time passed, everyone seemed feel the strangeness continue to grab hold of their captain, holding tight to the air around the _Black Pearl_, refusing to let go. It was hard not to notice how much stranger Jack acted and the Elric brothers soon started to notice this change in the piratical man. Many of the other men feared for their own, and for their captain. As Gibbs had said weeks before to Marty, "_What bodes ill for Jack Sparrow bodes ill for us all._" Not everyone, however, seemed to sense this danger as well as others, and perhaps it was best.

Sometimes, ignorance was purely bliss.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Talented hands gently and sparingly applied pigmented paint to his masterpiece of which was the world map, patience in full abundance. Sharp eyes remained attentively to the lovely, dear map the painter was lovingly finishing. Behind him, soldiers moved into the room, the soft clank of chains smacking into one another as William Turner was ushered into the room. He held his head high, quietly realizing a deal may be struck before he was to leave this room today. He would search it out, he reasoned, and he would take it as quickly as he possibly could.

If it benefited both him and his beloved, he'd do anything to release the both of them. But, he had to be wary with Lord Beckett; the man was like a snake and not to be fully trusted not to bite. It had been a ridiculous weeklong entrapment and the quiet jeering of the other jail mates to his fiancé was more than he could bear. If he had no bars between them and him, and if he had a sword, he would have preferred being their executioner. It would probably have done them better than the gallows ever would.

"Lord Beckett, the prisoner, as ordered, sir." The leading officer said. Lord Beckett had been speaking with his assistant, Mr. Mercer, before turning his white-powdered head towards him. He made a quick wave towards Will and the officer.

"Those won't be necessary." He said casually. The soldier moved forward, and Will held his arms up slightly as the soldier in red began to undo his irons. In the meantime, he noticed that Lord Beckett was pouring from a decorative glass pitcher some type of brandy or port. It was certainly no pirate's rum; sophisticated men such as Lord Beckett did not drink such rugged beverages. There was only the best to serve and to be served. William stood beside the tray as Lord Beckett finished and the man asserted his argument effective immediately.

"The East India Trading Company has need of your services."

Unfortunately, as Lord Beckett held out the glass of port or brandy, or whatever it was he was serving, Will did not accept. He held a straight, stony façade against the man, his head held in a prideful manner. Lord Beckett waited, and then set the cup down promptly. He moved away, towards the fire and he began to stoke it, stirring up the warmth as he said, "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend, Captain Sparrow."

"More acquaintance than friend. How do you know him?"

"We've had dealings in the past." Lord Beckett pulled up a fire poker. The end was a red-hot cherry color, ready to sear anyone's bare flesh that dared touch it. Moments later, however, Will suddenly realized, it was no ordinary poker. It was a brand, and most importantly, it was the pirate brand that the East India Trading Company was most famous for. "And we've each left our mark on the other."

"What mark did he leave on you?" Will asked, his tone slightly condescending. He gave himself a slightly satisfactory smile at the question when the man didn't answer right away. Lord Beckett gave a long pause, staring at the brand for a long while. Then he stooped over slightly to put the brand back into the fire.

"By your efforts, Jack Sparrow was set free. I would like you to go to him…and recover a certain property in his possession." With the glass of his drink still in his hand, Lord Beckett took a long swig, downing the drink while watching Will carefully over the rim.

"'Recover'?" Will questioned, before pressing forward a little more. "At the point of a sword?"

"Bargain." Lord Beckett corrected, placing the cup down with a dull _thunk_. There was a faint smile tipping the man's lips. It was so vague; Will doubted he even saw it there to begin with. Then the man who had brought such ruthless trouble to the waters of Port Royal moved away, towards a wooden chest on the grandeur writing desk. He pulled something out and it turned out to be a leather booklet. "Letters of Marque. You will offer what amounts to a full pardon."

Lord Beckett was no longer looking at Will. Instead, he had his attention on the leather booklet, the Letters of Marque neatly store away inside. It was this that the EITC agent was looking at right now. "Jack will be free. A privateer in the employ of England."

Will saw this as impossible. He didn't believe that Captain Jack Sparrow would ever willingly enlist himself into such a position. The man was better off a pirate hunted down than a man enslaved to a country's employment. Jack Sparrow was a man who answered to no one but himself. He was a sailor, a captain, a pirate and above all, a free man.

"Somehow, I doubt Jack would consider employment the same as being free."

He heard a slight laugh. It was spewed forth for only a short second as Lord Beckett replied, "'Freedom'." Will did not miss the patronizing tone the man had said the single word with. Clearly, it seemed as though Lord Beckett and Jack Sparrow's ideas of freedom where wholly different from one another. The Letters of Marque were carefully stowed away back in the chest on the desk and he signaled to Will to follow him onto the second-floor deck. Will followed, reminding himself quietly to remain as diplomatic as possible. If he were to say the wrong thing, well…

Outside, work was being set into motion. The bay was filled with many Naval men donning their red uniforms, tromping in unison up and down the docks, rowboats gliding across the waters in the bay, and ships being prepped out on the water. Other rowboats, on the beach, were laid out, not being used. Servants moved swiftly at the orders of the men who owned them, carrying buckets on their long poles over their shoulders. Activity was bursting along the beach and its docks. Before the deck, as Lord Beckett approached it, a clock with the traditional Roman numerals was being hoisted up.

"Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking, the blank edges of the map filled in. Jack must find his new place in the New World or perish." Lord Beckett paused, turning his back on the clock that was being hoisted, leaning against the wooden railing of the deck as he looked to Will. "Not unlike _you_, Mr. Turner. You and your fiancé face the hangman's noose."

"So you get Jack _and_ the _Black Pearl._" Will concluded. It seemed only logical that this man, this fierce business man who represented the East India Trading Company on behalf of England and the King, would want the _Black Pearl_. It was to be sure a steadfast ship and one of great value. A ship, recognized by its black sails, known as the fastest in the world, able to outdo even the fastest of the British Navy's pride.

It was something Will could only assume that Lord Beckett would want. It would be a great asset to the man's arsenal against piracy. No other pirate would be able to outrun the _Black Pearl_, and with Jack captaining it under the employment of England, well…Jack would be a tricky man to figure out, if he were to choose such a path in life.

However, Lord Beckett seemed to stray in the opposite direction of Will's train of thought.

"The _Black Pearl_?" He questioned carefully.

"The property that you want, that he possesses." It had to be the only object of interest to Lord Beckett. Surely, it would be coveted and envied for it's strange powers of unnatural speed.

"A ship? Hardly. The item in question is considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times. A compass?" Will looked away from Lord Beckett's sharp gaze. It was the only sign of recognition, however, that the man needed from him. "Ah, you know it."

Lord Beckett stepped forward and Will suddenly knew that this was the proposal that he was waiting for. Although, he wondered if it would be easier to repossess the _Black Pearl_ or the compass that Jack carries with him at all times.

"Bring back that compass…or there's no deal."

Then Will watched Lord Beckett step away and move back into his office—the office that used to belong to Governor Swann. He turned his gaze back out to the marina, watching as the men scurried about, shouting out orders and proceeded to perform those tasks.

This was the only way, he knew. He had no choice. This was his and Elizabeth's second chance, whether he wished it or not.

Will stared out for the longest of moments before following after Lord Beckett. The man was seated at his desk, paperwork neatly displayed out. He was merely setting up his ink and quill, the end of his feathered pen ready to be dipped in the inkwell. However, when Will approached with purpose in his stride, Lord Beckett carefully screwed the lid back on his inkwell, set down his quill and gave Will a motion to carry on.

"I'll do it. But, I'll require a ship to take me out of Port Royal, and not one of yours. A merchant ship will do just fine. I'll try the other islands in the Caribbean." Will began. He did not mention Tortuga at all. If he led Lord Beckett there beforehand, he may lose precious resources in finding Jack before he even got there. And if he tried there first, he might be among the captured pirates that roam the port without the British Royal Navy any the wiser of his mission.

"Fine. That I can arrange." Lord Beckett paused, curious as to what else was behind the mask written on Will's face. The man leaned forward, fingers delicately laced together on the desk, his back straight and looking Will in the eye. "Are there any other requests you would like to make before you leave Port Royal, Mr. Turner?"

Will paused and the thought of Elizabeth, unaware of his transaction with Lord Beckett, crossed his mind. He would have to inform her of what he shall be doing. He could not leave her in the dark. The thought of doing so tore at him and he'd feel like a coward if he simply left without saying goodbye. Will nodded.

"Yes. I wish to see Elizabeth before I set off. I want her to know what I am to do…and why."

This time Lord Beckett did smile at him. It was small, amused at his demand, and he nodded to Will. "Fine. You may go to her now. I want you on a ship by three days' time. I shall arrange an outgoing merchant ship to carry you off and you can begin your search. You, however, will be completely on your own once you leave. Do not expect any leniency from any soldiers if you are caught by them for being in association with other pirates, even if it was to gather information."

"I wasn't counting on it." Will replied sharply with slightly narrowed eyes. Lord Beckett returned to his vague, half-smile once again, and in the back of his mind, Will thought he was most openly being mocked by this man. Then Lord Beckett waved a dismissive hand to the young man.

"Go, speak with your fiancé when you wish. You're free for now, to prepare yourself for your journey. Be back here to gather the Letters, and I shall direct you to your ship when you return."

Will nodded in acknowledgement and walked calmly out of the office. He had to endure preparing himself for his estranged journey that would take place fairly soon. He'd rid of his back his wedding clothing and then put on more weatherworn clothing, ready to tolerate the weather and the nature of the world. And then…and then he would visit Elizabeth, before he is to set out. It would make this game of searching more endurable to him and he would not waste his time telling her of what is to take place. He could not.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Holy CRAP, I'm on a role. Yay, I feel accomplished.**

**And, in other news, I have downloaded _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest_ and _At World's End_ to my iTunes and my iPod. Therefore, I will have it with me always, and I can work on the story, whether I am at home, or I am in the desert on a dirt bike trip. I can save room and not need to bring my DVDs…although, I most likely will bring them, just for the special features. xD**

**Anyway, that is all the news it seems I have for y'all. I hope that this chapter did the bits of the movie justice. There's going to be less "quality time" for everyone else and I'll whoring the movie bits more and more, but with added features of Edward and Alphonse, and of course, Lupin and Bishquet. Wow, this is definitely going to be interesting to see how I pull this one off. xD**

**Please review, thanks in advance!**


	37. Ghosts of the Past

**Ghosts of the Past**

**Reviewers: **

**Silentmoondemon**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Lizzy Lou**

**KageArai**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Keiyou**

**Shinzochi**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Another question to answer for Lizzy Lou: No, it didn't really take that long to find the script! It was actually easy. All I did was put it in the search engine and poof! There it was, practically at the top of the search list. :3**

**Also, I'm giving Bish more time. She needs it and she wholeheartedly deserves it. Yay! And slightly more bonding time between her and Edward will appear. Slight, but it's there. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death.  
_**- Earl Wilson**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was late, and she couldn't find herself back to sleep. Lupin was fast asleep, and the men above deck were keeping the ship on course or were on guard for other ships. So, down here, it was merely a snore-festival of pirates and sailors galore. Normally, Bishquet wouldn't have been bothered, far from it. She had long since grown used to the swaying of the ship, the rocking motion of the ocean, the snoring of the sleeping, hell, even the cawing of seagulls when they encountered the bloody things didn't seem to mind her as much anymore.

Bish was even surprised at her level of endearment for it all. If this had happened a year or so ago, she would have been complaining and hating every second of it, making note of it every time she had to get up to go to the bathroom or she found herself suddenly awake and unable to fall back into another slumber.

Some things do change, she thought as she rolled over on her little cot. She shivered, pulling the colorful blanket she had gotten in Spain, but she was still feeling the affects of the cold Atlantic. They were entering in Caribbean waters fairly soon, but not soon enough. The chilling early morning effects of the weather were still engrained in the ship and it made her uncomfortable. Even though she preferred this cold to the warmth of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, still, this was much too cold even for her.

She sat up with a quiet, frustrated sigh and pulled the jacket—bless the wolf for her suggestion early on in their trip from the beginning—she had brought with her and yanked it on. She felt much warmer, and she curled back up under the blanket once again.

Sleep still did not come and she remained awake. It had to be close to sunrise. She didn't know how she knew, but somehow she felt it. Perhaps an hour, maybe two, but it was fairly close.

Finally after some time, she pulled herself back up, quietly slipped past the curtain and walked right through the forecastle, looking over the sleeping faces of the men. She paused at Alphonse and felt a smile grace her lips. God, she felt grateful to have met him.

At times, she completely forgot that this place wasn't supposed to exist, and the same went for him, and it was at those certain moments, bliss was gratefully accepted. She stepped over to his hammock and leaned down, giving him a quick, gentle peck on the cheek before moving away. Maybe if she wandered around, she'd begin to feel more tired the more she made herself move about. Yeah, that sounded about right. Maybe it'd work…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He found himself more awake the later the nights got these past few weeks. The consumption of alcohol, the heady feeling of being drunk that numbed his thoughts, and the charting of his maps helped keep his hands and mind busy. He worked his way with his compass, the sleeve of his right hand pulled back to reveal the band around his wrist and the pirate brand on his arm as well as the sparrow tattoo above that. He carefully calculated his the compass points, swaying the device back and forth on the yellowed map.

Jack paused, head tilted to the side before he craned it slightly to look at his directional compass. He tapped it several times. The needle merely swayed back and forth, indecisive and therefore, quite unhelpful to him. He dropped the device in his hand, with a silent sigh on his lips as he glanced at the bottle of rum he had the table, easily within a reach of the arm away from him. He gave no pause as he pulled it to him, but the weight made him finally give pause and he glanced in the bottle's top. There was nothing inside it, except for a few drops. He let those drop onto the map without much thought or care.

With brows raised, he asked no one in particular, "Why is the rum _always_ gone?"

He plopped it back on the desk and got up from his seat. He moved away with ungraceful steps and even had to steady himself, not at all moving in grace with the ship's movements. As he grabbed his hat, an epiphany hit him. "Oh." The hat was promptly placed on his head, and he moved towards his coat. "That's why."

Grabbing a lantern on his way out, it swayed in his hand, just as he swayed his way down to the forecastle. The men above deck paid him little notice, although he knew that they had paused to look at him, especially the helmsman. As he passed the forecastle on his way down, he listened and watched the men sleep and snore, each carefully tucked away in their hammocks, sleeping their shifts off, and waiting for the morning and breakfast to come.

However, the thought of his men did not really perceive as part of the important "to do" list; all he wanted to do was move to the locked rum cellar. All from his private stash was no longer available and had been long since exhausted. He sorely needed to restock and that would be the first thing he did when he hit Tortuga.

"As you were, gents."

He slipped by them, silent except for his creaking lamp, and moved through the shadows with the little candle inside his lantern guiding him. Well, there was that, and then there was also his experience of traversing through this ship for years, whether physically or in memory. The baaing of the sheep and goats barely registered to him as he pulled out the keys that locked the private rum cellar of the ship. Those were promptly stuck in the lock and he turned then with a jingle and moved inside once the door would admit his entrance. He smiled as the door closed behind him, and he hung the keys on a nail. Immediately, he began to prowl along the racks where there used to be bottles lined up in every hole.

Jack gave pause at the unsightly glance of crustaceans making home in a particularly empty shelf. They withdrew themselves into their protective homes and shells as he approached and swayed the lantern's light in their direction. He made a face at them, somewhat surprised and disgusted that such a shape had come to his ship. He'd have to order one of the men to come down and clean the little buggers out.

He glanced over the ungodly sight of missing bottles of rum, his mouth jerked into a slight grimace before he spotted a bottle to his right, near the bottom. "Ah." He smiled, moving forward and reaching for the bottle. It gave little to no trouble, but as he pulled it free, sand poured from the open bottle, falling listlessly onto the floorboards.

"Time's run out, Jack."

Jack dropped the bottle and it shattered upon impact on the wooden, creaking floor beneath him. He concerned himself no longer with his thoughts of rum. He focused on the voice; so familiar, yet it had been so long since he'd heard it. No…it couldn't be. It just damn well couldn't be…

The piratical captain raised the lantern to face level, scanning the dark corners, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he scanned around. Carefully, cautiously, Jack stepped forward, seeing a figure sitting in the almost too-perfect setting of light down here. As he moved closer, he saw the figure was hunched over, water dripping down the face of the mysterious figure. Although, Jack didn't think this was any mystery. His head churned and he continued to stare, scrutinizing this figure that was certainly not one of his crew and very doubtfully any type of stowaway. The name felt almost natural as it left his lips.

"Bootstrap…Bill Turner."

Bootstrap looked up at the mention of his name and Jack saw some type of creature scurrying about over his face. Wet hair hung in thin scraggly strands, his face wet from perhaps climbing out of the very depths of the ocean itself. There were strange growths on Bootstrap's face, as well as over his clothing and body. Jack couldn't make what kind of strangeness this was, but it certainly caught his eye as Bootstrap looked up, straight to Jack's face. Bootstrap gave his old friend a tired look and a faint smile.

"You look good, Jack." Bootstrap commented quietly, water pouring from the man's mouth. Jack could only stare, mesmerized by the strange and radical change of his old crewman. If he thought that a skeletal, cursed version of Bootstrap had been bad enough to visualize, this seemed to be even stranger still. His mouth was open, but Jack was not aware, as he ever so slightly tilted his head, still holding the lantern at face level. Bootstrap's smile fell and Jack pulled his senses together, brows knit in confusion while he straightened up. A faint look of distrust and uncertainty crossed his face.

"Is this a dream?"

Two quick glances to the left and the right, Bootstrap then answered quietly, "No."

"I thought not." Jack replied with his lips pursed together into a thin line. He moved to place the lamp down so that he may sit. "If it were, there'd be rum."

Bootstrap immediately held out a bottle to Jack, his arm and back creaking loudly and disturbingly. However, the estranged man did not seem to notice or take heed to the sounds his own body made. Jack looked at the bottle, eyes narrowed as he set down the lamp on a gunpowder barrel. He grasped the bottom of the bottle and was surprised at first when it would not be released. Sand exploded from the encrusted hand it was being held by, but Jack pulled it free and Bootstrap lowered his stiff arm. Bootstrap glanced about. "You got the _Pearl_ back, I see."

He didn't sound too surprised as he looked back at Jack. Casual talk seemed to be the course, and Jack wasn't too sure if he really were dreaming or if this were real. Perhaps he really had fallen asleep at his desk. He brushed at the top of the bottle, wiping away remnants of sand from it. "I had some help retrieving the _Pearl_, by the way." He blew on the top before looking at Bootstrap pointedly, a faint smile on tipping his lips. "Your son."

Surprise lined Bootstrap's tone as he asked, "William?"

Jack took a swig of the rum, enjoying the searing taste of it. In the meanwhile, Bootstrap cast his gaze to the floor.

"He ended up a pirate after all…" Disappointment leaked into his voice at the thought of his son sailing somewhere on the high seas, taking after his bloodline. His train of thoughts, however, came to stand still as Jack spoke to him.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your cub uncle?" Interest lined the captain's face. Of course, he was quite intrigued by the sudden visit of and old friend—and unfortunate mutineer—of the past. The same man who had been one of his crew nearly eleven years ago, the very friend he thought would help stand for him when he was marooned on the island by Barbossa and his crew of miscreants. Unfortunately, Jack could only expect the greed of other pirates and couldn't find much blame with Bootstrap for standing with Barbossa on the mutiny. It was either join or be killed.

"He sent me." Jack, for the moment, knit his brows in confusion at that. Bootstrap sensed this and added, "Davy Jones."

"Ah." It was the only thing he showed as a sign of recognition. "So it's _you_, then." The captain of the _Black Pearl_ found a seat to park on and he did so, bottle in hand. "He shanghaied you into service, aye?"

Bootstrap regarded Jack sharply. "I choses." Jack watched his old friend from the corners of his eyes. Even if Bootstrap had chosen to live all those years ago, he had also chosen for Jack to be left for dead. His lips drew into an indecisive line. Old wounds still stung. "I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Jack."

Bootstrap slapped down on the barrel beside him and Jack's attention was drawn to that action while Bootstrap spoke. He saw something squirming in the man's clammy, gray hand as he lifted whatever it was up. "I stood up for ye. Everything went wrong after that."

Whatever it had been in Bootstrap Turner's hand, it was alive and it was squirming before he crunched down on it with his teeth. The man didn't even flinch as he did so, eating whatever it was alive. Jack watched with disgust, going so far as to show it by sticking his tongue out several times as Bootstrap continued.

"They strapped me to a cannon. I ended up on the bottom of the ocean…the weight of the water crushing down on me, unable to move…unable to _die_, Jack."

There was fear in Bootstrap's voice as he whispered the last part out to him. Jack watched the man for several moments. "And I thought that even the tiniest hope of escape would escape me this fate…I would take it." At this point, Jack held out the bottle of rum Bootstrap had given him, offering the man a drink. "I would trade anything for it."

"It's funny what a man will do to forestall his judgment," Jack finally replied as he stood. Bootstrap was on his feet as well, meeting Jack around the wooden support beam with sudden surprise and speed. He was taller by several inches, and much broader in build. He came up to Jack's face, boring into the captain's eyes.

"_You_ made a deal with him too, Jack. He raised the _Pearl_ from the depths for you. Thirteen years, you've been the captain." He began pushing Jack backwards and Jack began raising the details, trying to stave off his hide from being branded once again.

"_Technically_, I—,"

"Jack. You won't be able to talk yourself out of this. The terms what applied to me, apply to you as well. One soul, bound to crew a hundred years upon his ship."

"Yes, but the _Flying Dutchman_ already has a captain, so there really is no—,"

"Then it's the Locker for you!" Jack's smile fell at that. "Jones's terrible Leviathan will find you…and drag the _Pearl_ back to the depths, with _you_ along with it!"

Bootstrap, with his broad shoulders and broad build and higher height, towered over Jack Sparrow. Jack, in question, leaned back upon his spot, an unnatural nervousness in his voice as he asked, "Any idea when Jones might release said terrible beastie?"

He tried smiling, hoping that Jones had not done such a thing yet. He had hoped to escape this fate, to cheat Jones out of his gathering price for his soul. He had hoped to have an idea of where that key was and where that heart was before he would have had Jones breathing down his neck.

"I already told you, Jack." Bootstrap pulled at Jack's left hand, holding it tightly in his gray hands and he slapped his palm against Jack's as he said, "Your time is up."

He released Jack's hand and moved away from the _Black Pearl_'s rightful owner, rightful captain. "He comes now, drawn with ravenous hunger to the man that bears the Black Spot."

Jack paid no heed to Bootstrap's exit. His eyes were more focused on the spot on his left hand, the terrible sight of the Black Spot forming before his very eyes. He closed his hand and looked up to where Bootstrap had previously been. Shock raced through him when he saw nothing but the walls of his ship's hull and he glanced around before fear struck him. The Kraken was coming.

He had to get the ship moving immediately.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish's plan to get herself tired out by wandering the ship had backfired. She was still not tired, and dawn was closely approaching, she could just feel it. As she was moving her way back to the forecastle, to perhaps lay down and try to find sleep once more, the jingle of keys made her hide. She stiffened as she hid behind the staircase and watched as a pair of boots clamber down them and a figure with a swinging lamp paused and then said, "As you were, gents."

Bish blinked at that, realizing it was Jack. Her lips perked into a grimace as she watched him disappear further below deck and she stepped out of her hiding spot. A hand fell upon her shoulder, surprising her and she jumped, stifling a shout. She whirled around instead; glaring at whoever it was that had snuck up on her like they had. Her face fell when she saw that it was Edward. He pulled a finger to his lips and she nodded, before jerking her head to follow Jack. He nodded in return and led the way, with her following silently behind.

The door to the rum cellar had snapped shut just as they made their way down, the baaing and snorting and shuffling of what livestock was still alive down below. The smell was overwhelming, but the pair ignored it as best as they could. Edward moved stealthily forward, leaning against the wall beside the door and its knob. He glanced at Bish. She trembled in excitement and anxiety, wondering what it was Jack was doing so late at night like this. He had become more secluded from his crew, much more withdrawn and as Lupin had said, "He was playing things closer to the vest; closer than usual."

They heard something shatter from within and they both stiffened before Edward gently grasped the knob of the door and pushed, ever so slightly. It creaked, but so did the rest of the ship and the sheep and goats weren't staying any quieter for this. It helped cover the sound of the door. Bish reached out suddenly and grasped his wrist holding the door. Ed looked up, regarding her carefully and watched her as she shook her head, mouthing to him, "No!"

He looked away and carefully peeled the door back a little further, and he leaned forward, peeking into the room. He could see the light of the lantern, and a frown marred his face. His eyes searched until he spotted the "good captain" and heard the man mumbling something. Déjà vu briefly flit through his mind and nostalgia gripped him tightly. He pushed the feelings back down, trying to focus on whom it was that Jack was speaking to.

"What's going on?" Bish asked him in a fervent whisper. The frown was still in place as he answered her.

"Dunno. Think Jack's talking to him."

Bishquet bit her lip and moved closer, peering as well as she could into the room as well.

"Who is that?"

"I don't know."

They focused on the figure hidden by the support beam.

_It figures._ Edward thought. Then it struck him as funny. _Who is that and how'd they get on board? They couldn't have gotten on without the men on top noticing…_

Bish was thinking along those same lines and she wished she had the wolf here to interpret what was going on. She was, after all, the only modern-day expert on this place and what was going to happen. A sudden ripple of terror streaked through her when she realized that they might very well be going into that second movie Loopy had been warning her about. She nibbled more on her lip and narrowed her eyes and strained her ears to hear.

"And to what do I owe you the pleasure of your cub uncle?" She heard Jack ask the mysterious figure.

She listened and her heart nearly froze when the answer of "Davy Jones" appeared in the conversation. _Shit, shit, shit! God-fucking-dammit, Loopy! Oh, dammit!_

The immediate resolve to rush to Lupin after all this and beat her senseless with what she was hearing throbbed strongly in her mind. Warn her friend, suck any information out of the wolf and prepare for the worst. Yes, that sounded like the very ideal thing to do. She shivered, but it was no longer from the cold. Instead, she did it out of the impending fear that was starting to overwhelm her. She now realized the very depth of the shit that they were wading through and it was time she pulled herself into high-gear for all of this.

Edward had remained just as silent as she had, a scowl slowly forming on his face, his jaw clenched and teeth grit together. From the looks of it, Bishquet noticed that Edward didn't like how this was going.

"It's funny what a man will do to forestall his judgment."

Then they both saw the dark, broad figure suddenly reel around the wooden support beam, towering over Jack as he moved into a clearer sight.

"_You_ made a deal with him too, Jack. He raised the _Pearl_ from the depths for you. Thirteen years, you've been the captain."

He was positively gross, in Bish's honest opinion. She saw the unkempt and clammy appearance of the man, even in the light of the lantern. Edward hissed in surprise, his muscles stiffening suddenly at the sight of the mysterious man. Bish didn't remember hearing his name. She didn't know if Edward had heard it either.

"He made a deal with this…Davy Jones. Do you or Lupin know anything about this?"

_Uh, yeah, now that you mention it, he has tentacles for a beard, a crew of fish-men and oh, right, a giant sea creature that's gonna kill us all! Other than that, no, not really._

She shook her head no. "Lupin might. I'm not a nerd like her. Not for this kind of stuff."

Then they were engrossed back into the conversation-turned-threat once again.

"Jones's terrible Leviathan will find you…and drag the _Pearl_ back to the depths, with _you_ along with it!"

"Leviathan? That's just a sea creature myth. What's this guy on?" Edward growled. Bish shrugged, although she distinctly remembered Lupin's warning to her about the Kraken. A shiver twisted itself up and down her spine at the multi-tentacle monster attack the Pearl at any minute now. She moved away quickly, a hand to her mouth.

"Shit. We're in deep shit." She hissed under her breath.

"Bish, hey, wait!" Ed hesitated, torn from finishing his eavesdropping, to following after Bishquet. After another reluctant glance at the door, he pulled it shut as quickly and quietly as he could and followed the Hispanic woman up the stairs.

"What's going on? Tell me what's happening." He asked her and she watched him, searching the young man's face.

"I don't know! If I did, I'd tell you!"

"I'm starting to sincerely doubt that, Bish." He said grimly. Bish opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a shout from below them.

"On deck, all hands! Make fast, the gasket! On deck! Scurry! Scurry on! Move it! Move it! _I want movement!_"

Jack burst up from below and brushed past them with panic on his face, paying no heed to Edward or Bishquet. The forecastle exploded into instantaneous movement as people pushed themselves out of their hammocks or even fell out. The men were yanking on pants, boots and shirts, exploding to the top deck, already moving across the deck to work. Jack continued to shout, furthering the chaos of work.

"I want a running, plenty running. Run as if the Devil himself and itself was upon us!" They heard him shouting at the top of his lungs from above. Lupin had somehow materialized from the crowd and was at Bish's side, eyes wide and awake, her shortly cut hair unkempt and sticking in all directions. She turned to look at the two with quick movement back and forth between them, but she didn't get a chance to ask them anything. She was swept back into the crowd of moving bodies, up the stairs and she disappeared into the work line of the others.

Bishquet quickly followed after Lupin and Edward felt someone yanking him up the stairs as well. He quickly realized it was his brother and he followed Alphonse up top.

Lupin rushed to Gibbs' side and Bishquet hovered, unsure of whether she should venture closer. Jack turned away quickly, and Lupin noticed how he coddled his hand and she felt her blood run cold. There was a disgruntled look upon the old seadog's face as he tried to follow Jack's spasmodic self with his eyes, a questioning glint in them. When he moved around one of the masts, Jack popped up and gave out a cry of surprise.

"Which port?" Gibbs questioned.

"Jack?" Lupin said quietly. He ignored her, only noticing Gibbs.

"I didn't say port. I said land, any land." Lupin ducked as Jack the Monkey swooped in suddenly, ripping Jack's hat off of his head. He gave out another sharp cry and followed the creature with his eyes. The monkey looped through the shrouds and Lupin hesitated as it gave out a derisive screech. Jack merely hissed back before the monkey threw Jack's leather hat into the churning waters below. Gibbs moved forward immediately, leaning over the gunwale as he followed the hat's bobbing figure with his eyes. So did a number of other crewmembers.

"Jack's hat!" He shouted a warning. "Bring her about!"

"No, no! Leave it!"

Activity stopped almost immediately as it had started barely minutes before. Eyes were upon Jack and he stared right back at them. Disbelief quietly sank into everyone's minds. Even Lupin froze as she stared at the pirate captain. He gave a quick twitch of the lip.

"Run."

Then he turned tail and fled in short, quick steps. Gibbs stared after his captain for only a moment, then turned to the men and shouted, "Back to your stations! The lot of ya!"

Lupin stood frozen for several moments longer, then she moved away, knowing where Jack had hidden himself. Jack watched as she approached, his back pressed tightly against the wooden wall of his cabin. He flinched when she moved closer, a hand pressed on his shoulder. "Jack?"

Gibbs was behind her just as fast as she had come. He pulled her aside quickly. "If you're up this early, go make some breakfast now for the men! Off with ye!"

She was surprised by the gruffness Gibbs presented her, but she moved aside and allowed Gibbs to talk with Jack.

"For the love of mother and child, Jack, what's coming after us?" He whispered fervently to his captain. Lupin hesitated at this, and Bish was at her side in a heartbeat, pulling the wolf aside from earshot of anyone else.

"The Kraken, it's coming. We heard Jack and some other guy—,"

"_Bootstrap?_" Lupin blinked, incredulous.

"I don't know! Maybe. He said something about Davy Jones, and some sort of Leviathan—I thought it was that Kraken thing you were talking about a few weeks ago and—,"

"I know, I know!" Lupin snapped back quickly. She glanced around quickly.

"Look, just don't say anything to the boys, all right? Until we reach Tia Dalma, we don't have anything to tell them. We'll be gone by then, so no worries, savvy?"

Bishquet faltered, uncertainty lining her face before she slowly nodded. She patted Bish's shoulder gently.

"I'll go make breakfast, like Gibbs told me. Pretend nothing fishy is going on. Act like everything's normal…ish."

"Heh. Fishy." Bish laughed before adding a nod. "All right. But if shit hits the fan before we go home, I'll kill you. You got me? I will flat out _kill_ _you_."

Lupin grinned. "Wouldn't doubt it, babe. Now, go, go, go! Go help!"

The two young women scurried away in their different directions, their silent promise to one another still fresh in their minds.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The little leather hat bobbed in the water, refusing to sink into the dark depths below. It floated a long ways out, and the dawn began to approach as its beloved ship sailed away from it. A smaller ship, not even close to the grandeur of its previous ship was, soon came into sight. It was moored off near an island—the beginning sight of the Caribbean's waters.

Soon, the little hat came to bump against the wooden hull of the ship and it was rescued with a metal hook. A man standing on a collection of crates called out to a companion, grinning and laughing while he did so, stepping back onto the deck. His companion, only slightly taller than the hat's rescuer, emerged to heed the call. He watched as the smaller man put the rescued hat onto his head, standing at mock attention, hand thrown up in salute. He smiled at his slightly taller companion while he wore his new treasure from the sea.

The taller man took the hat off the rescuer, and pulled it onto his own head. An immediate smile graced his lips. He felt gleeful at the aspect of a hat on his head. The two continued to argue, back and forth, jesting and joking until a sudden sound—strange and alien to their ears—made them stop entirely. Silence followed after, but not for very long. The ship suddenly rocked sharply and they braced themselves, staying on their feet.

Fear engulfed the two and the taller companion of the ship tore the hat off of his head, shoving it back at its rescuer. The rescuer shook his head, waving his hands, refusing to take the hat. It fell to the deck at the rescuer's feet. His protests dropped at the sound of a terribly deafening creaking, as it grew louder, mixed with another strange sound—a moan of some terrifying creature.

Mere seconds later, the whole ship collapsed, crushed in two and it sank quickly below the depths: crew, supplies, ship, hat and all. The only thing left behind was an explosion of seawater rising into the air as a result of the ship's sudden disappearance. It soon settled, however, unseen by anyone else for miles around.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Yeah. Bootstrap finally makes his ghostly appearance, no pun intended. Everything's falling in place and next chapter is going to start up with Cannibal Island! Yay! :D**

**Now, my precious readers, review! Cyber cookies and brownies to all who do! x3**


	38. Zombie Rave

**Zombie Rave**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Heeheehee01**

**Lizzy Lou**

**Silentmoondemon**

**KageArai**

**Shinzochi**

**YaoiLuvr**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I will review over the movie scenes, as it is obvious I've gone over several scenes in the past few chapters already. I will do this for **_**Dead Man's Chest**_**, as well as **_**At World's End**_**. I've also made some scenes longer, by pulling up some "off-screen" possibilities. Obviously, there have been dialogue changes or alterations here and there to help squeeze Edward, Alphonse, Bishquet and Lupin into the mix. Again, it's obvious and I've stated it before. If there is still confusion, well, I hope I cleared it up. x3**

**I'm also experimenting with slightly more accented people, so if things get a little difficult, I apologize! I've finished reading **_**Dracula**_** a while back and the way Stoker had written out some of his characters' accents in dialogue is very interesting. I just had to try my hand at it! So, ahead of time, I apologize, and please bear with me! **

**So, please, enjoy! I hope I'm doing the movie scenes justice; even if I think many other writers out there could do them a wee bit better than I can. xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Only the foolish visit the land of the cannibals.  
**- Maori Proverb**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

There was no time to lose. He was to leave soon. Will had fetched Elizabeth's father as a sort of peaceable barrier between himself and the guard that was undoubtedly there, watching all prisoners and especially Elizabeth. Governor Swann followed behind Will as he nearly flew down the fleet of stone steps to the stockade, the governor panting behind him, barely keeping up. It was, however, slightly impressive that in his old age he was even able to keep footing along with Will. As he reached the landing where Elizabeth—and beforehand, himself—had been kept, he was, unsurprisingly, met with the guard. He did not recognize the man's face. He was a new guard today.

"You're not—you can't be here."

Of course Lord Beckett didn't seem it fit to tell any of the guards that he was to come here today. He never really specified a date when he'd come, but all in all, the man hadn't even issued a warning to allow Will no hassle. But, as he made his beeline for Elizabeth, Governor Swann in his primed hat, silvery-white curled wig and stoic clothing; he barred the guard with a few simple words. "I think you'll find that he _can_."

Will stooped beside Elizabeth, who still looked utterly beautiful in her wedding dress, and they locked fingers through the iron bars that separated them.

"Mr. Swann—," He heard the guard protest.

"_Governor_ Swann, still. Do you think I wear this wig to keep my head warm?"

There was no warmth in the man's voice, as Will had heard when he addressed his one and only daughter, and at times, to himself as well. There was nothing but a cold snap and there was no more words that issued forth from the guard in his pristine red uniform and his well cared for musket. But, Will heard none of this, nor saw their expressions. He had quietly been relaying his information he'd learned from Lord Beckett to Elizabeth. She quietly drank in the information, the confusion growing forth upon her visage.

"Jack's compass?" She questioned him. "What does Beckett want with that?"

It wasn't clear to him either. He did not know, and he doubted he would ever find out, nor did he want to find out. All he wanted was to find Jack, bargain for the compass and then bring it back to save Elizabeth from the gallows. He stared her straight in the eyes, still holding her hand in his own. "Doesn't matter. I'm to find Jack and convince him to come to Port Royal and in exchange, the charges against us will be dropped."

At this, Governor Swann allowed no remission or interlude after Will had said his last on that. The elderly man stated quite firmly, "No, we must find our own avenue to secure your freedom."

Obviously, he did not know of the dealings between Lord Beckett and Will. He did not seem to understand that _this_ _was_ the only way. Will gazed at the man, incredulous at the words he had just spoken. "Is that a lack of faith in Jack…or in me?"

He felt that his pride had been thoroughly whipped. He had risked being put on trial for piracy to rescue Governor Swann's daughter, and yet the man most likely did not think him properly adequate for his daughter. Governor Swann found blame in Will, using his higher class most likely as a means of prejudice against the young man, simply for Will's line of work as a simple blacksmith.

"That you would risk your life to save Sparrow does _not_ mean he would do the same for anyone else." He saw some truth to the man's words and dropped his gaze while the governor continued, "Now, where is that dog with the keys?"

He heard the man whistling for the dog. He did not remember seeing any dog, so he simply ignored that last comment. Instead, he turned back to Elizabeth.

"I have faith in you. Both of you." He heard the tears in her voice. He hated to leave her here. He hated Lord Beckett for his conditions of Elizabeth to stay here, and for him to venture out for Jack Sparrow. But, conditions came at prices. This was one of them. His freedom was Elizabeth's imprisonment. She smiled, if slightly, at him, her hand through the bar and gently stroking at his cheek. "Where will you find him?"

This he smiled at. He had not told Lord Beckett of his exact destinations, and neither had the merchants that he'd be starting off with were given such information. When they were well out, he would tell them, to not give them any chance of turning back around.

"Tortuga." He answered plainly. "I'll start there and I won't stop 'til I find him. And then I return here, to marry you."

This brought on a wry smile on Elizabeth's face.

"Properly." She bantered back.

"With your leave, if you'll still have me." He replied glibly.

She leaned forward just a bit, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"If it weren't for these bars, I'd have you already." There was a loud snap behind them, but neither of them had turned to see what the commotion was about. They were too intent on studying one another's eyes and face, too engulfed in their quiet talk with one another. But, the quick shuffling of feet, however, had brought their gazes apart. It was momentary, however, and they locked gazes once again. "I'll wait for you."

"Keep a weather eye on the horizon." Will whispered back, their lips nearly touching. And then abruptly, he pulled away, wishing he hadn't. But he feared if he didn't leave now, he'd change his mind and demand her to be released. He had to play by Lord Beckett's games and rules—if only for Elizabeth's sake. She couldn't be put at anymore risk, not anymore than she was now.

He had to turn it around, this game. He would find a way…and then he and his beloved fiancé would be free. Only time, however, would tell if he'd have his chance.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Something was wrong, he could feel it, but it was he didn't know. Alphonse, however, knew without a single doubt that something was horribly, deeply, and truly wrong. The crew was not back. They hadn't come back for three whole days. Ever since they've landed the ship on a beach—an actual beach, with no port or docks at all!—it was unnerving how the men had just trooped on off into the jungle of the island. They left only four behind: himself and his brother, as well as the girls. It seemed almost convenient to be doing so, and he almost volunteered to go with them. Edward, however, had barred him from such a task, and told him to be quiet.

"Let them get killed off by some wild animals. Maybe we'll weed out the jackasses if we're lucky."

"Brother!"

Edward looked surprised for a moment, then he laughed. "I'm only joking, Alphonse, I promise." Then he turned grave and looked off across the sands where the crew's footprints had once been left. The tides, however, had washed them away when they came in. "But, something isn't right…and I can feel it."

The girls were also unnerved. Bishquet had been more open about it. Lupin was more reserved. Al had tried coaxing an answer out of the young woman, but she remained true to her silence, refusing to give up anything that resembled uncertainty or nervousness. She had resumed her stony façade and strong mindset when it came to keeping things bottled up and to herself.

By the beginning of the third day, however, everyone's minds were pulled away from the crew's strange disappearance. Edward, in the meantime, had unofficially been declared the ringleader. And, his first order of business was to raid through Jack's cabin; something he'd quietly voiced to Alphonse for many long weeks. "I wanna know what Jack's been up to in there. I'm sure he's got some sort of log to write in, all captains do. Maybe there's a clue in there somewhere about what's going on. And what that key drawing is really about."

But, when Edward approached the door, Lupin had jumped down from the stairwell that led to the quarterdeck and stood before it, arms spread out and a determined look on her face.

"Back off, Ed. You're _not_ going in there."

Alphonse had been silently thankful for the intervention. But, he too, had also a nagging wondering what was inside the captain's quarters. He wondered what was inside that Jack kept so secret—aside from his own personal goods, of course. Jack the Monkey had suddenly dropped beside the wolf and then scampered up her arm, giving a loud and wide-mouthed screech, baring its little fangs at them. Her lips pursed and the monkey withdrew itself on her shoulder, although it still occasionally bared teeth with a silent hiss.

"Lupin, we just want to see the journal. You've been in here more times, right? You can pull it out for us, and put it back without Jack ever knowing about it."

He saw her hesitate. Bishquet was looking down from the quarterdeck at them, her lips jammed into a frown, but she said nothing as well. Al noticed her and they met gazes. She gave him a silent shrug and a sigh, indicating she wouldn't jump in the middle of this affair. Alphonse looked at Lupin and stepped forward.

"We promise not to touch anything, Lupin."

A look of incredulity spread across her face at him, before her resolve hardened again. "No." She stated firmly, and she shook her head. "If Jack comes back—,"

"I doubt it. He's not coming back, at least, not anytime soon. We'll be in and out."

Her brows knit together. A part of him hoped Edward would give up soon and they'd drop this matter. But, most of him rooted for looking for clues, any at all, for what was in Jack's journal: information. He felt the need to quench his thirst for it and he knew that Edward would never really give up. He'd find a way; he always did. Then, Lupin stepped aside, her face downcast.

"Fine. I'll…_I_ will grab it. But you keep your noses out of here, got me? Only I'm going in."

"Aw, that's no fair! How come you only get to go in? I wanna see inside his room." Bish jeered from above. Lupin shielded her eyes as she looked up at her friend, the wind tickling her face with her short hair. Lupin gave off a small grin to her friend, shaking her head.

"If anyone will get in trouble, it'll be me."

"Yeah, but you can waggle those hips and beat those little eyes and Jack'll forgive ya."

"Sorry, he's not sweet on anyone but this ship." Lupin smiled before turning her gaze back to him and his brother. She returned to her stony glare and pointed at the both of them. "I mean it. Stay out. I'll be back in a few minutes."

It was ten minutes before Lupin came back out. She was clutching a rather weatherworn leather book to her chest, much like the logbook she had signed, with her friend and with Ed and himself those many long weeks ago. A hampered look of uncertainty was present on her face and she hesitated greatly before popping the book open. Bishquet had come down to witness this little unveiling and she stood beside the wolf, hand on her friend's shoulder, eyes sharply regarding the book behind her glasses.

"Damn. He's got some nice handwriting." Bish exclaimed in an impressed tone. Alphonse was also surprised. Jack's handwriting was rather neat and orderly and had very few spelling errors. He must have had some educational training growing up before turning pirate, and if he remembered, not many men on the ship could write, let alone read. And the fact that the captain is clever, there had to be a reason behind his smarts. It wasn't just street smarts; it often seemed like book smarts as well.

There were log entries for every day, when Jack could roster some time to jot an entry down. Edward had taken the book from Lupin, despite her protests and Alphonse followed, hovering over his brother's shoulder and his eyes locked onto the curled writing within. Edward was too busy reading it for himself to even give attention to his hovering younger brother.

"Brother, go to the date where we all arrived."

Edward was already turning the pages rapidly, even before Alphonse had said anything. Someone bumped into his shoulder and he gave a quick smile to Bishquet, who was at his side. Lupin was on the other of Edward's, practically leaning on him as she watched the pages flip, her eyes just as curious as his or Bishquet's.

Now all they had to do was read through each entry, and note which ones sounded the most important…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"So, Mr. Turner, where 'twas we be heading fer agin?"

Will did not turn, his eyes locked on the horizon, almost searchingly for black sails to suddenly appear. It would certainly make things easier, he deduced, but he knew that for Jack to suddenly and conveniently appear, it would be impossible. He heaved a heavy and burdensome sigh, turning to the captain of _The Wily Missus_, Mr. Jacobson.

He was an elderly, portly man with sharp gray eyes and sometimes had a too distant look in those eyes of his. His strong jaw was squared in shape, but it was his voice that could bark commands louder than any hound Will's heard. But, while his voice was strong, his ears were not up to par to the task. It was hard to even muster complete attention to the man, he was nearly deaf in one ear. But, Will could tell he had many years of seagoing experience under the man's belt, and that was all he needed.

Finally, Will turned to the man, and stared him square in the eyes, for they were nearly the same height. "Tortuga, Mr. Jacobson. If you please."

Mr. Jacobson's eyes lit up momentarily with shock, and his pudgy lips drew out into a very thin and grim line. Will knew he had the half-deaf captain's attention at that already. He set his square jaw at Will, looking grave. "Oh, Mr. Turner, ye should know, like everyone else that thar port, it be fer pirates, Mr. Turner, sir. I cannot jus' a-waltz on through thar, not without a-trouble t' b' brewin' over yonder. Is there of any other place ye can think of, that ye may wish t' go to?"

Will gave a few short shakes of the head. "No. I need to find someone and the people of Tortuga…they'd be the only ones who would have that sort of information."

Doubt lined the elderly man's face and he continued to frown at Will. "Well…whit sort o' information are ye b' lookin' fer, Mr. Turner? Maybe I could avoid a trip thar, if ye tell me what it be. I might have somethin' fer ye t' go on."

Hesitation held Will back. He pursed his lips. "Merely an acquaintance. He has something I need. I need to bring him back to Port Royal. Tortuga's really the place I need to be."

Mr. Jacobson looked discontent with the answer, and for a moment, Will feared the man would refuse his travel requests. Finally, however, Mr. Jacobson resigned with a fearful shake of the head and sigh. "Fine, lad. Tortuga it be. But I warn ye, boy, ye'll be on yer own when I drops ye off thar. I won' be sailin' back fer ye, an' I t'won't look over me shoulder, neither. Find yer own way home after that."

Will nodded, silently thanking God for the good fortune that had struck him.

"How long 'til we reach Tortuga, then?" He asked. Mr. Jacobson rubbed at his chin, frowning. The ship continued to bustle behind them, but neither of the two men took notice.

"'Bout three, four days. Five, if the winds die down an' we luck out wit' th' weather. Count yer days down, Mr. Turner, sir. Hopefully we won' be attacked when we sail forth into that blood-t'irsty town."

"I doubt it, Mr. Jacobson. We will be fine sailing into Tortuga without worry."

A look of wonder crossed the good captain's face, but Will remained adamant and tightlipped. Finally, Mr. Jacobson left him to his thoughts. Will remained on Elizabeth, constantly worrying. He had to free her. He would, he promised himself. He'd find Jack, take his damnable compass back to Port Royal with the pirate in tow, and then he'd take Elizabeth out of that jail cell. Then he would marry her properly, without arrest warrants or lords from England or any interruptions to come between him and his fiancé.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

There had been nothing in the journal. No clues yielded to Jack's plans, and neither were there any riddled words that were disclosed on what the key sketch was about. The only honorable mention it had in his log was that he had found it and now he had his "key to fixing his problem". And that was it.

But, as Edward had been snapping the book shut, something had slipped from the pages and fluttered to the floor. Alphonse had picked it up, and unfolded a page. Then he gulped and paled slightly before handing it off to Edward.

"What, what's it say?" Lupin had asked him. He had pinched his lips in response, silently reading over what the little note had said.

_**Nice try, lads, but you won't find anything here. Put the book back. **_

_**Captain Jack Sparrow**_

Bishquet, who had been reading over his shoulder, suddenly laughed and teased him by saying, "Oooooh, you're both in _trouble!_"

It was a rather childish thing to say, but it was enough for him to show his annoyance and he growled at her. Alphonse blanched when he read it, and quietly suggested they should put the journal back into Jack's quarters. Lupin had then chosen the distracted moment to pluck the note from his fingertips and read over it, before she too fell to the spell of snickering at his misfortune. "No mention of us. He knew _you_ were coming though, Ed."

"He's a much smarter man than I thought to really give him credit…" Al had murmured quietly. Lupin had merely grinned with a shrug. Then she had taken the book, and returned it to its proper place.

Night had come and now he was back in his hammock, disgruntled by the thought of getting caught. Just as Lupin had predicted, but not in the sense he had been expecting. He had actually caught him and his brother, without even needing to be here. It was embarrassing, really. Al was on guard top deck, waiting for a sign for Jack or the others. Ed's shift would come later that night. Then he'd go down, wake Lupin for breakfast and after that, he'd sleep again for the morning.

Sleep had nearly come over him, but the stumbling of feet awoke him and he sat up carefully in his hammock, peering sleepily through the forecastle. His brother was suddenly over him, tugging at his arm. "Get Lupin and Bishquet, quickly!"

"Wha—? Alphonse, what time is it…?" He yawned. "Is that bastard Jack back yet?"

"No, but someone is coming out of the jungle. It's not Jack or any of the others; it's…someone else. Just, get up, come on!"

The thought of someone else other than Jack or his crew emerging from the island's jungle unnerved him. Edward was up in a moment and had shoved on his boots, and with Alphonse's help, had aroused the girls from their sleep. Thumps above deck alerted them all and there were soft whispers that followed. The footsteps that followed the thumps were nearly silently until they heard something heavy fall over and Bish let out a squeak. Lupin clapped a hand over her friend's mouth and stared up at the ceiling, breathing rapidly through her nose. Edward motioned for them all to be quiet with a finger to the lips and then pointed down. There were simultaneous nods and they moved swiftly towards the lower levels of the ship. The sheep—or what was left of them—were quietly huddled together, snorting gently in their sleep. Edward turned towards the rum cellar, and tried the door. It stuck.

He cursed under his breath, jiggling it. "Dammit, I don't have _time_ for this!"

Something jingled behind him and he turned, mouth open to tell whoever it was making that noise to stop it. He stopped mid-whisper, staring at a triumphant Lupin, who held Jack's keys in her hands. He stepped aside, allowing her to try her hand at the keys. The first two stuck inside the lock and the third clicked open. She stepped inside, wiggling the key out and everyone rushed inside. Lupin locked it back up and closed the door as quietly as possible. The rush of the tide against the wooden hull was especially loud here and everyone remained silent, listening to the quiet clatter and slowly rising voices build up in cacophony with the waves. There were laughs and shouts, and they quietly stayed below, making no sounds while they waited it out, like they were all Anne Frank hiding out from the Germans.

"Why're we hiding here again? What if it's Jack?" Bish finally asked after a while. Her voice, however, betrayed her doubts, as she had kept it to a whisper.

"It wasn't. It…they weren't anyone from the crew. I saw them carrying spears and they didn't really have any clothes on…" Alphonse answered. Lupin pursed her lips before she made a quick gagging sound.

"Oh…oh, God. Fuck me, we're…" She swallowed thickly, realizing all eyes were on her. She continued, however much she knew she'd be in pain later on from Bish's pummeling. "We're, uh…we're on an island that has…_cannibals_ on it."

"Oh, well, that's just fucking great! A fucking cannibal island! Really? We couldn't land on a _My Little Pony_ island?! At least we wouldn't be eaten there!" Bishquet hissed with contempt. Lupin flinched.

"Hey, I'm not the one who fled for the nearest land, Jack was."

"Then it's his fault."

"No, it's not, it's—," She clamped her mouth shut at that. Edward's sharp gaze was on her at once.

"It's whose fault, now?" He questioned softly.

Lupin kept her mouth shut, and thankfully before he could push forward with a little more force, the doorknob rattled noisily. Bish held her breath and everyone tensed. There were voices, garbled behind the door. The doorknob continued to clatter, but now the door itself was shaking. They were all feeling nervous at the prolonged curiosity, fearing that the door would be shoved in. But, after another minute, the shaking slowed and stopped all at once. There was silence for a long time, and then the quiet retreat of bare feet against wood.

No one moved for a long time. They didn't see the need to. The Elric brothers both agreed it would be best to sleep in the safety of a locked room with no windows, just in case the natives came back. The girls didn't seem to think highly of the idea, but nonetheless, quietly agreed to the idea as well.

"I'll take the first shift." Edward said. Alphonse frowned.

"I haven't finished mine, yet."

"Don't worry about it, Alphonse. Just get some rest."

"But, brother—,"

"Just do it, Al. I'm not tired. I'll be fine."

Al hesitated before he finally resigned, settled next to Bishquet and fell asleep soon. Lupin snuggled on the other side of her friend, curled up with her worn trench coat on. Ed sighed, glancing at the door and straining his ears to listen above the soft caress of the tides.

"It's gonna be a long night…"

"You're telling me."

Edward jumped at the voice, surprised.

He turned sharply to see Lupin watching him. He frowned, his fright forgotten.

"You should be getting some sleep."

Lupin sat up, sighing. "Not sleepy. Not anymore, anyways."

"Scared?" He offered, but she shook her head.

"No. Nervous is more like it. And worried."

He sighed like she had moments before, still frowning. He glanced at the door once again.

"How'd you get the keys?" He asked her after a few minutes of silence. Ed looked back at her, expecting a slightly sheepish or solemn face, but instead he was surprised by an impish little grin on Lupin's face.

"I kinda, maybe, sorta swiped them from Jack's desk. I thought…I thought something like this might happen, you know? So, I just…I thought being prepared for something, like this, I mean, would be good." She paused before adding quickly, "I'll put them back! I promise!"

He laughed quietly, waving her off. "Don't worry about it. It was actually kind of a good idea."

The nervousness he had earlier expected melted from her face immediately and she pulled up the keys, clutching them all in her hand so they didn't awaken the others.

"I figured since Jack and the others weren't back, someone might've gotten to them. I thought having a panic room when they came would've worked out good."

He smiled again, but it faded once again.

"What you said earlier, about all of this not being Jack's fault? What'd you mean by that?"

Lupin's own smile dropped immediately and she stared at him, then dropped her gaze, her eyes avoiding his and she tightened her lips up. Before he could ask again, she finally satisfied him with an answer. "Jack…owes people things. Other…other pirates. But…there's one particular person who's a lot worse than the people he knows, and this guy, he's…coming to collect."

There was an apprehensive pause when she stopped and she licked her lips, looking back up at him.

"And the…the sketch is something he's looking for. The guy, who's after him, buried something of value. Jack wants to use it as a bargaining chip."

"But he needs the key." Ed finished. Lupin nodded. She looked so nervous telling him this, he wondered how she'd gleaned this from Jack in the first place. He asked her this and she smile a little.

"He gets drunk."

He sighed. "I can never tell."

"I can."

Ed glanced at her and she nodded.

"I can," she repeated. "His eyes…they're not as bright or alert when he's drunk, they're…glazed. And his speech is not as…decorated. It's hard to tell, since he likes using those big words he's fond of, but it's…slight. I mean, I spend hours at night with him, and it took me some time, too, but I—,"

Then she suddenly stopped, shutting her mouth and looking away. "I-I didn't mean it like that. I meant it—,"

Edward gave her an understanding gaze and waved it off. "You meant it like an artist observing a subject. I get it. You don't have to explain yourself."

She watched him, surprised, but then she sank back again, contented.

"You should get some sleep. Dawn's gonna be coming soon."

She gave him a little smirk. "And you want breakfast."

"Of course."

She laughed, and waved at him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, slave driver. I'll make yer damned breakfast."

He was still smiling at that clip of humor, even after he was sure she'd fallen asleep.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**...Don't ask about the chapter name. It was really random and really funny. xD I had some fun with this chapter, even if it was only a filler one. **

**Anyways, as usual, I'm a review/critique whore. Any critique will be welcome with open arms and reviews are warm and fuzzy and given cyber cookies and brownies in return. They come in peace! xD**


	39. Force of Nature

**Force of Nature**

**Reviewers: **

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Shinzochi**

**Lizzie Lou**

**KageArai**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Dontmezwitme**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**The French that appear in this chapter were taken directly from the online **_**Dead Man's Chest**_** script. If anything in it is wrong, I apologize ahead of time. **

**Ah, and almost forgot to mention: Dontmezitme, you got the two-hundredth review! Congrats! X3**

**Also, for some reason, my desktop did NOT want to edit any of my latest chapters, it just kept giving me the codes for everything; text, along with the codes to give all of this here it's bold or Italic print, it's centered sections (title, the little 'OoOoo' scene divisions, etc...). Does anyone know why it was doing this? I'm not sure if its my desktop itself, the website going hinky, or if my computer is just acing up. Help is always appreciated! **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_The only pressure I'm under is the pressure I've put on myself.  
**- Mark Messier**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The next few days passed. A week was nearly upon them when Edward and Alphonse finally unanimously decided they would check inside the jungle for any remainders of the crew. This brought forth immediate objections from both young women, although the boys had made up their minds. "Look, if we can get to them, wherever they are, we can get out of here. I don't think the four us could sail the _Pearl_ even if we wanted."

"Yeah, and if Jack finds out, he'll shoot you like the last guy who stole his ship. Then, I'll laugh, and then tell him, you held us hostage." Lupin gruffly pointed out. Edward blinked at the harsh reply and gave her a grimace. Her lips scrunched up into a puckered line, her own brows knit down and eyes glaring at him challengingly. Alphonse stepped between the two of them, first giving his brother a meaningful stare and then Lupin.

"We'll be all right, we can handle a few people on this island."

"And what are you, fucking ninjas? Don't go, please, Al—,"

"Seriously, this is fucked up shit, we can't just go waltzing—,"

"All right! Stop!"

Everyone's conversations stopped there and then. Jack the Monkey, who had been screeching from above during all of this, had also quieted down. Mr. Cotton's parrot, who after a while of the crew's disappearance arrived shortly afterwards, let out a single squawk of surprise and annoyance before things settled back down. Edward watched everyone's faces carefully.

"Alphonse and I will be gone only for a few hours. We know how to take care of ourselves in places like these, we've done this before." There were grimaces and scowls from the girls and a concerned face from Alphonse. Edward continued. "And, we need you two to stay here, in case the crew comes back, or in case someone comes along and we can get some help. All right?"

"Doubtful." Lupin muttered.

"What?"

"Doubtful anyone will help us. This is the _Black Pearl_. Everyone knows the ship for it's blackened wood and black sails. If anything, people will be reporting having seen this ship to the Navy rather than helping us."

Edward studied the wolf for a few long moments before sighing and giving her a consented nod. "Right. Fine. But we need someone to stay here in case some of the crewmembers, wherever they are, happen to wander back here by some pure chance, all right?"

Bish frowned uncertainly, looking between himself and Alphonse. Worry was written clear as day on her face and she grabbed his hand gently in hers. "Be safe, all right? If I hear you got killed, I swear to God, I'll bring you back to kill you again."

There was humor and seriousness interlaced in it, but she smiled, if only slightly at him. Alphonse studied her for a moment before smiling in return, nodding. She hugged him tightly before giving him a peck on the cheek. "Come back soon, okay?"

"Promise." He replied.

Lupin had once more puckered her lips into a dissatisfied, thin line. She didn't like this plan. She had the horrendous feeling that something bad—something worse than the movie—was going to happen. It brought a horrible plunging feeling to her gut and she didn't want them to go. But, once the Elric brothers had made their decisions together, it was like trying to convince a wrecking ball to stop in the middle of its swing from smashing into a building that had been decreed "safe" instead of "destroy it". When her friend and Alphonse separated, the young man looked at the wolf before giving her a hug as well. To no ends, it surprised Lupin and she stood frozen on the spot before she returned the hug.

When he pulled away, he kept a hand on her shoulder and gave it a meaningful squeeze.

"We'll be back before you know it, I promise, all right?"

Then he looked to his brother and Edward nodded after a few moments, glancing at Bishquet and Lupin. "Yeah. We promise. Just a few hours, all right?"

There was still doubt in the air, heavy as the morning fogs over the Atlantic, but the girls both gave reluctant nods and acknowledgement to the young men. They repeatedly wished them safe, threatened them to come back, and begged them to not do anything irrevocably stupid and dim-witted while they were gone.

It didn't take long for the jungle lining the beach to swallow them up and the two young women stared long after they were gone. Lupin was the first to wander away, restlessly wringing her hands, twitching them and looking anything but calm. Her eyes darted back and forth nervously and honestly, to Bishquet, she was looking on the verge of what a drug addict looked and acted like on withdrawal..._without_ the drugs.

Finally, she turned to the passing wolf, pulled her by the shoulders and forced her over to a crate to sit on. Then she sat beside her friend. While the wolf still fidgeted, it was less than before, since she received the silent message from the Hispanic woman loud and clear. After a while, perhaps twenty minutes, she finally calmed herself down and hunkered down, like she were out of energy and just a lifeless shell. Bishquet waited quietly and patiently. Then she said, "You know…you coulda hugged him."

"…I know."

Bish sighed, leaving it at that. "So…what happens? Here, to the crew? Tell me, please…I sometimes forget."

"…They're in bone cages. Hanging off a vine rope, suspended over a canyon." Lupin replied quietly. "Jack's the chief. The cannibals plan to roast him like a pig and eat him, because they think he's a god."

Bish smiled, if half-heartedly. "The way he acts, he might as well be THE God."

She was glad to muster a laugh from Lupin. Finally the wolf nodded and leaned back, still nodding. "Yeah…yeah, I know."

There was a calm clarity to them now. It descended much quicker to them than it had previous months before. They knew something in them had changed, being here. Freaking out would only end up in panic, paranoia and other unattractive and death-warranted issues in them. They didn't even know when it had come over them, this quiet declaration of change. Lupin found it deeply admiring when it came to Bish. Bishquet also saw it as an improvement and building in Lupin's self.

They knew there was no point in freaking out now. What was done was done. The boys were gone, in their jungle adventure to spy on the crew, maybe rescue them. But they did promise to come back.

They _promised_.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The ship that Mr. Jacobson had willingly sailed him on was long gone. Now he was with a sailor on the docks of Tortuga.

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow? Owes me four doubloons. Heard he was dead."

No success. He kept moving on. People gave him varied answers. Will noticed that Jack owed many people plenty of money, whether it was meager wages or large sums.

He was on a beach, calves down soaked in water. He was with fisherman next to his little lifeboat and sparing hat.

"Singapore, that's what I heard. Drunk with a smile on his face. Sure as the tide, Jack Sparrow, turn up in Singapore."

There came even more dead ends.

He was back in town, people milling around him with bustling agendas. He was with the two women who had slapped Jack when he and the pirate captain had first arrived on Tortuga.

"Jack Sparrow?" The blonde, Giselle he remembered vaguely, asked. She didn't really sound all too surprised, though, that Will was looking for him.

"I haven't seen 'im in a month." The redhead, whom Will vividly remembered as Scarlett, chimed in. She too, did not show much concern for the man. Not many people seemed to, he has recently discovered. And when someone else asked for him, they didn't show much surprise to that, either.

Giselle approached him, a vicious contempt in her eyes as she said, "When you find him, will you give him a message?"

Her smile was sweet, but the hard slap on his face left his face stinging for quite a long time. It also threw him off guard, to have the woman slap him.

The next day found him on the docks once more, conversing with a black man, quietly about his work. He was strong, Will could tell. He also wasn't a slave; he was a free man to do as he pleases. It was rare to the young man to see this. Deep down, he somehow found it…admiring. But the thought disappeared just as quickly as it had come while the man answered him, weaving a net in his hands and with a tool.

"Can't say about Jack Sparrow." The man began, his accent heavy. "But, this island, just south of the Straits where I trade spices for...mmm, delicious lung pork. Cannot say about Jack, but you find a ship there. A ship with black sails."

He knew he found his right man. Immediately, Will commissioned the man to take him there without delay. They were under way within the next hour.

Then they were suddenly off shore of the island the sailor, Ewart he'd introduced himself as, had taken him to. Ewart pulled the scope from his face after viewing through it. Then he declared, "My brother will take you ashore."

Shortly, he was on the longboat, Ewart's brother rowing him ever closer to the island. But, then, the man stopped after a quick glance over his shoulder.

Will asked in confusion, "What's wrong? The beach is right there."

"Ne bougeais pas, c'set beaucoup trop dangereaux." The sailor replied with stern shakes of the head.

"What?"

"Je ne pois, c'est trop dangereaux, j'avais le dit." The urgency was prominent in the man's voice and eyes, but Will had no time for this. With a swift glance over his shoulder back to the ship behind him, Will stood up. "Bon voyage, monsieur."

That much he could understand from the French-fluent sailor. With a nod, he dove into the warm Caribbean waters without a second thought. It was a long, haggard swim to the shore, but Will was thankful for the push of the tide. It made the swim easier, but not shorter. Soaking wet, he waded through the waters as soon as he could stand without being bowled over by approaching waves. He looked over his shoulder again to see the ship he had sailed on was already disappearing fast over the blue horizon. No matter.

The _Pearl_ was here, but where was the crew? Jack? Why was it on a beach, instead docked at some moors in some town like Tortuga? Everything was eerily silent as he approached the massive ship. No voices were chattering above, no flamboyant gallantry spewing forth from the familiar mouth that was Jack's. There wasn't even a peep from Mr. Cotton's parrot. The only noises that persisted around him were the prattles from the jungle, the wind in his ears and the waves washing up on shore behind him.

"Jack!" He called loudly, hands cupped to carry his voice further. There came no answer, so he tried again, leaning back. "_Jack Sparrow!_"

He approached the ship more closely and called out, "Marty! Cotton!" Still no answer and the dread began to overwhelm him, disturb him greatly. More quietly to himself, he said to no one in particular, "Anybody?"

Then, suddenly, he heard the tromping of feet on deck. Hope was renewed in him. He expected the dreadlocked, bauble and trinket-laden, tanned face of Captain Jack Sparrow to peer over the deck. Or, perhaps someone from his crew, like Mr. Cotton, Marty or Mr. Gibbs would appear. Instead, peeping over the gunwale, a young woman's face appeared.

She had short, darkened tufts of black—or was it just dark brown—hair with braids and baubles hanging longer than the rest of it. A worn, black sash was promptly pushing back the short tufts from her face, and she wore a black shirt, worn and haggard from long periods of use that showed off her bare arms and shoulders, dipping down in the front like a dress's would. She blinked at him, squinted and then gave an excited squeal.

"Will! Will Turner, is that you!"

He had never seen the young woman—who couldn't possibly be any older than perhaps sixteen or seventeen—before in his life, and yet she seemed to know him. Hesitantly, he called back, "Ah…yes, I'm, I'm William Turner."

Before he could go on any further, the young woman had turned her attention away from him. "Bishquet! Bish, he's here! He's fucking _here!_"

The brash word that had flown from her mouth threw him off completely, much more so than the slap he'd received from Giselle. He blinked, his eyes wide at the young woman and then another's face popped. She looked of Hispanic descent, perhaps from the Central regions on the coasts further west from here, from the mainland. Her dark skin was fairer than the tan the first young woman sported, and her tiny ringlets and curls framed her face, looking rather thick. Her eyes met his and she smiled broadly, pushing the glasses on her face back up.

"Will! Oh, thank God, you're here. Look, the crew, they're in the jungle somewhere, and they haven't been here for—,"

"The jungle? Hang on, just stay there, please, I'll be right back—,"

"Wait, Will! Hey, wait, come back!"

But he was already up his way towards the jungle. He was, however, stopped tree line by the approach of Mr. Cotton's parrot, which gave a loud squawk. "Ah, a familiar face."

He still heard the indignant shouts behind him from the young women, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. It sounded like something about "annables" or "animals" or something along that line. The bird before him ruffled and puffed its feathers and flapped its feathers before declaring, "Awwk! Don't eat me!"

Will gave the bird a shake of the head and a confused response of, "I'm not going to eat you!"

The girls were still shouting at him, and from the imploring tones he was gathering, they were begging him to return. Will looked over his shoulder, seeing them both at the bow of the ship, watching him and waving for him to come back. Then he moved on. If what the girls said was true, and from the lack of crew, they were in the jungle somewhere, no doubt Jack was somewhere amongst them. "Don't eat me! No, don't eat me! Awwk!"

He moved swiftly, the bird and the girls' calls soon dying and giving way to the buzzing of insects, chirruping of birds and other sounds he could not identify or recognize. Something along the way, however, caught his eye and he stopped. He didn't like the ship being empty save the two, strange young women aboard. He didn't like their begging shouts, and Mr. Cotton's bird's odd words. He also didn't like the way the sailor from earlier had so suddenly stopped rowing, refusing to go any further. So, he had long since drawn his sword, feeling that a premonition of something was going to happen and he had to be prepared.

When he stopped, his guard dropped and surprise rose. Hanging, simple and innocent, was Gibbs's leather canteen. He took it in his hand, staring it over. What had happened here? What fate had befallen Jack and his crew? Without Jack, he could not get the compass. Without the compass, he had no bargaining chip with Beckett. And with no bargaining chip with Beckett…Elizabeth's fate will be sealed.

"Gibbs…" He quietly murmured, before his eyes cast to the thin vine looped over the top of the canteen. He had no use for it, so he dropped it and began pulling gently at the vine, following it. It was looped over leaves and branches, and then it abruptly stopped. He plucked the end away, staring at it for several moments before something from the corner of his eye caught his attention.

He didn't register it at first, but it had been a face, completely hidden away by the tree behind him. The face, wild and savage and in a dark blur, growled at him viciously before Will was yanked away, across the leaf litter and then up, up, and up above the ground. Will swung violently back and forth, yelling and flailing about, his one foot caught and the other free. Immediately, he went for his sword as he became aware of how surrounded he was, but he wouldn't give up without a fight.

"Come on! Let's go!"

Painted bodies and wild faces, mangled with pierced orifices on the face and elsewhere, surrounded him in a circle, all carrying spears of primitive design. They murmured quietly amongst themselves, but otherwise, were silent as they approached his flailing form.

"Come on, who wants it?! I can do this all day!"

There were many around him, some indulging to feint jabs. His sword made contact with several spears, although there was little resistance, little retaliation. They were more curious and probing than vicious and savage, but he wasn't going to drop his guard again. He hadn't realized how surrounded he was! And how many there were as well…

Then there was a sharp pinprick in his neck. Something had stabbed him and he let out a grunt, before all went black on him.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"_Moron!_ The _worst_ pirate in the _history_ of pirates! _I_ make a better pirate than him! _You_ make a better pirate than him! Bloody. Fuck!"

Bishquet watched as the wolf paced the deck with angry gestures, pounding boots upon the deck, and a horrible scowl crunching her face in. "Goddammit! I'm gonna _kill_ that boy!"

There was little the Hispanic would do to calm her friend. Let her get it out of her system, and then talk to her. If she got into it, then yelling from both sides would ensue. Then even physical fighting would begin its approach. Bish wisely chose not to encourage such a direction. Besides, Lupin had been pent up with hidden anger for a while now, she could tell. Bish did not think forcing it back down would do any good.

So, for another good ten minutes, the young woman continued her tirade, graciously getting everything out into the open about how Will was being an idiot, how they could have avoided having him captured.

"And Ed and Al are _still_ gone! Where the _fuck_ are they?"

The anger took a steep drop and turned into a worry. Bish pursed her lips tightly into a thin line, and she looked to the thick, green foliage that had swallowed every up. She swallowed, thinking only of Alphonse. Had he been captured? Where was he, and was he safe? She was worried for Edward as well, but it was Alphonse's sake that was tugging at her viciously. The same for Edward could be said on Lupin's account. But, they worried for everyone else as well.

She would have joined in. She wanted to, but Bish held herself back. Lupin was angry enough for the both of them. Then the wolf turned to Bish, her kohl-rimmed eyes still flashing with that mixture of anger and worry, but also with fear.

"Oh…oh, God. They didn't…they…"

Bish got up and quickly pulled Lupin into a tight embrace and the wolf buried her face against her friend, holding on just as tightly to the Hispanic woman. She let out several dry sobs, and Bish patted the wolf's back. "Shh. They're fine, okay, hun? They're fine. It's okay, just…just stay cool, okay? They'll be just fine."

"Oh, God, they can't…they couldn't have…"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It had almost been a close one. Several times, they had been pursued and almost captured by the natives. For, they were in fact, natives of this island. The people were wild, natural, and living off the world around them. But there was also that savage touch to it, primal. It took some inventive ways to keep themselves safe, but with the two of them working together, it had been easier for the two of them than it would have been if they were separate from one another.

The natives were clever as well, knowing their lay of the land as well as they did. They had to, growing up on this island, the brothers agreed. But while they didn't know the land as well as the natives, they knew how to quickly use what was available to them for their advantage. The trees were not huge, but they were dense, as was the jungles around them. Easier to work with and it practically swallows one whole in just a few short feet of walking distance.

Edward squatted down, frowning deeply as he looked over the village it had taken him and Alphonse too long to locate. He did not like the idea of it taking this long; he had hoped they found it much sooner so that they could make their way back to the beach, back to the _Pearl_ and attend the girls, figure out the situation and make a plan.

But, knowing that the crew was alive was enough. They were suspended over a deep gorge on a thick vine rope, a ball-shaped cage of some type as their prison. Jack's ostentatious figure, however, was not among the prisoners.

"Maybe he's being held elsewhere?" Alphonse suggested.

"Or maybe he got eaten by the cannibals." Edward grunted luridly at his brother. They moved along, viewing more of the village. Pieces of different cultures were strung along the otherwise primitive place of sticks and bones. No doubt, they had once been from previous victims of the past, although what the exact items were did not interest the young men.

Finally, after some time, though, excitement aroused their interest. Patrols that had come from the jungle were carrying someone on a long shaft. The brothers moved close, as close as they could allow without alerting their presence. It was, however, difficult to get close without getting inside the village, and peering over cliffs, or through the jungle was hard enough as it was. It was almost too difficult to see each individual face, but they managed, one way or another.

They carried the poor soul to the center of the village, still hanging like a piece of meat ready to be roasted, towards someone.

Edward cursed profusely and Alphonse stiffened when they saw it was Jack sitting in a savage-looking throne, decorated with bones and skulls of all sorts. His face was painted, they could just see, was painted like that of the natives' faces. Edward turned away finally.

"Bastard. That bastard. Sitting there on that damned throne while his crew is rotting away in those cages…"

Alphonse, however, was not paying attention to his brother. He kept his eyes glued on Jack as he got up, circling the man on the stick, the villagers gathered and watching with anticipation, with eagerness. There were words stated, the villagers repeating like birds, orders apparently given, and then he heard the man yelling at Jack. It seemed, obviously enough, the two of them knew one another.

He turned to his brother. "We have to set them free. The crew."

Edward paused, giving the idea a moment of thought. Then he shook his head. "Too dangerous."

Alphonse smirked a little. "Since when has that stopped you in the past, brother?" He challenged.

Edward, however, did not rise to the challenge and instead stated, "We'll get caught. And then what good will we be to anyone?"

The younger Elric's face fell and he finally gave a solemn nod. "True…but, we can't just leave them…"

"I know, I know, I know! We can't leave the crew, we can't leave Jack, we can't leave this new guy, and we can't leave the girls… Dammit, Alphonse, there are too many people to worry about all at once. Let's just…get back to the ship. See what we can do then; come up with something that'll help. But first…let's see where they're taking that guy, first."

There came the flash of hope on Al's face and he nodded. "Maybe we can at least get him free."

"No. We've got to see what's going on. Maybe we can talk to the crew, find out what's going to happen…before going back to the ship to work out a plan."

"…By yelling across an echoing canyon?"

Edward paused. "Good point. We'll think of something."

Alphonse nodded in return before the two of them quickly moved away from Jack and his little horde of villagers fawning about him. Skulking seemed to be the only thing they could do without arousing any attention.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Reviews are always lovely, and any help with my desktop is always welcome as well! **


	40. Riot

**Riot**

**Reviewers: **

**Lizzy Lou**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Dragoncrazy247**

**KageArai**

**Dontmezwitme**

**Silentmoondemon**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

…**Bloody wonderful. I've hit the fortieth chapter mark. **

…**Wow. Just…wow. Speechless, I am. I think I might be even more speechless when I hit the fortieth chapter mark. Also, be forewarned: this is a very long chapter. About twenty pages long, so be prepared! xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**House**: _When I lead the big patient rebellion, Voldemort here is the first to go.  
**- House, "**__**House M.D.**_**" ("**_**Words and Deeds**_**")**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Annoyance ran deep through her. The other prisoners thought it amusing to change their tactics on the guard dog who had the keys—in which, that same dog had disappeared somewhere and no one seems to know where it had went—onto her. They whistled in a cajoling manner, hands and arms through the bars, trying to coax her closer. Things like, "Come 'ere, sweetheart," or "Don't be shy". Pretty words whispered through prison bars. She sat in the glow of the burning torch, sitting as best she could without a chair, in her beautiful wedding dress. Or, at least, it used to be beautiful, before the extensive wear of it had begun to fray some of the material.

She hoped it would last long enough for Will to come back. She knew he would. And if not, she could have it repaired…or replaced, if her father had anything to say about it. The prison door swung open on creaking hinges suddenly and she looked up. Stepping aside was a red coat, and then her father was at the open doorway, and he merely told her urgently, "Come quickly."

She followed him, answers needed immediately. "You've _got_ to tell me what's happening!"

"I may still have amnesty with the King. I've arranged passage to England. The captain is a friend of mine—,"

"No! Will is going to find Jack!" She stopped, doubting her father's reassurance. She wanted this to be done straightforward, and honestly, not in some underhanded tactic like her father was doing. It wasn't proper in any way and she knew Will would keep his word. She just knew it.

"We cannot count on William Turner. Come!"

"He's a better man than you give him credit for—," She began, but she was only to be stopped by her father's stern reply.

"Of course, this is no time for innocence. Beckett has offered one pardon only. _One!_ And that is promised to Jack Sparrow. Even if Will succeeds..." He stopped walking and kept a hand on her arm as they were right beside a small carriage. Her father looked at her imploringly. "You're _not _asking me to endure the sight of my daughter walking to the gallows. _Do not._ Perhaps, I can ensure a fair trial for Will, _if_ he returns."

She was put into the carriage and only contempt for her father's deeds dripped from her words. "A fair trial for Will ends in a hanging."

His tone was filled with faint edges of remorse when he replied, "Then there is nothing left for you here."

Then the door closed quite suddenly and the little carriage rocked the whole way down to where her father was taking her. She heard him shouting at the two horses that drew the carriage. After some time, for it seemed rather short, the carriage began to slow quickly and then it stopped altogether.

"Wait inside," he told her from the driver's seat. She did not pay much heed to his warning. She saw him jump down from the seat, addressing the captain as he did so. Silently, she took leave to the other side, picking up the hem of her dress up and fled quickly like a white phantom in the night. The rest of what happened with her father and the captain, she did not witness nor hear.

She only had her mind worked up on finding Beckett…and setting things right.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Well, I say it was divine providence what escaped us from jail."

"And I say, it was me bein' clevah. Ain't that right, poochy?"

The two pirates, formerly of Barbossa's crew, were in search of the one ship that had been their saving grace for nigh ten years. It was the _Black Pearl_ that was their home, and their home is where they followed it to this puny island, what having escaped the gallows of Port Royal, and just narrowly. The pooch that Pintel, the rower of the small longboat, had jumped up at the bow, the ring of keys swinging from his mouth.

Ragetti continued, viewing Pintel with a singularly pointed stare from his one good eye. "Well, how d'you know it weren't divine providence that _inspired_ you to _be_ clever? Anyway, I ain't stealin' no ship."

"It ain't stealing; it's salvagin'." Pintel paused. "Since when did _you_ care?"

"Since we're not immortal no more!" Ragetti replied quickly and sharply. He tapped the Bible he had in his hand a few times, saying, "We got to take care of our _immortal souls._"

"…You know you can't read."

"It's the _Bible_, you get credit for trying."

Pintel snapped back, "_Pretending_ to read the Bible is a _lie!_ That's a mark against—!"

At that, Pintel began pointing upwards towards the sky, trying to make his point without saying, "God" or any of the Big Man's biblical names. Ragetti snapped the Bible in his hands shut, glaring at Pintel. The dog's timing, however, seemed all too perfect. The precious pooch that sprang the two of them from jail began barking and the both of them turned to see what the barking was all about.

"Look!" Pintel hissed. The sight that greeted them was a delight. There was the _Black Pearl_, just as they had been told, beached like a whale on the island they were led to. "There it is!"

The dog gave a whine and leapt from the longboat, paddling away. Ragetti inquired, "What's got into him?"

"Must've seen a catfish." Slowly, Pintel began to laugh, and it took Ragetti several long moments to catch on.

"Stupid mongrel!" Ragetti called, just as the dog had made his entrance on the beach. The two shared a laugh and continued their journey towards the beach. When the tides caught them, it didn't take that much work to be pulled in. Unfortunately, they had not accounted for the strength and size of the waves. As the first began to hit, the two pirates began to bicker constantly, back and forth. Finally, a wave large enough to toss them out of their longboat effectively shut them up and poor Ragetti's worn and torn Bible was tossed into the sea in the process.

The white foam carried them to shore and Pintel wasted no time, calling to Ragetti demandingly to, "Come on!"

The dog with his clattering key ring trotted on the beach, wet tail wagging, and the two pirates not far behind. Ragetti was especially ecstatic as he began to laugh manically at the beauteous sight of the _Pearl_, helpless and alone before them. It's dark hide was just as they remembered, but the sails, oh those black and wondrous sails were no longer their tattered selves. They were either replaced or repaired and they looked _beautiful._

"It's ours for the taking!" Pintel finally declared authoritatively.

"Tide's coming in, that should help." Ragetti replied glibly to his partner in crime, a smile on his thin face. "Salvagin' _is_ saving, in a manner of speaking."

Pintel smiled again. "_There's_ the truth of it!"

Ragetti moved towards one of the moored lines, buried deeply into the sand. The dog led the way, with Pintel on his heels. Just as Ragetti was going to mount the line to shimmy his way up, they both stopped their laughs of glee, their devious plots and froze at the sound of drums beating loudly from within the confines of the mountains and the jungle. Nervously, Ragetti shifted from one foot to the other, and said, "S'pose we bett'r save it as soon as we can. What, with us in such a vulnerable state, y'know?"

Pintel crossed himself twice before agreeing, "Amen to that!"

After that, Ragetti began his quick shimmy up the length of moored line, the dog barking as it followed after Pintel. As soon as Ragetti was aboard, he looked about, looking to see where he had to work first. This would take a while, and he did not like the sound of those drums up in the jungle. However, he did not notice that odd blur moving towards him in his blind spot. Nor was he aware of the flash that he would have noticed, if his peripheral vision, for both sides of his face, were not horrible. The only thing he noticed before he had a blade to his throat and a hand suddenly locking his arm to his back, painfully as a matter of fact was that his assailant was much…smaller than him.

Then everything sped up after it had slowed down. He was slammed to the deck floor, one arm pinned behind his back, the blade of a fairly recently sharpened sword to his throat and a weight tossed onto his back. This kept him effectively pinned, as he could not wriggle very well. But, it was not like he wanted to, being aware of the very sharp sword on his throat.

"What the _fuck_ are you doin' on my ship, bub?"

He was surprised. The voice that hissed so deeply and so angrily in his ear was a woman's! He felt a sudden chill throw itself up and down the length of his body, from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. He heard Pintel calling to him.

"I asked you a question. Ignore him. Answer me first."

"I-I don't, I don't know! We're salvagin' our ship! This was our ship, for ten years, me n' Pintel down there! Please, don't kill me, ma'am!"

He heard a laugh. The sword was pulled away thankfully, but the accent of the woman's voice changed drastically. "Don't call me ma'am, I _work_ for a bloody living, mate!" Then the weight was gone and he scrambled to his feet, backing away. He was right. His assailant had been a rather short, young woman…who apparently had a very nasty temper. She was scowling horrendously, marring her pretty little heart-shaped face. And that face, if it hadn't been streaked with weeks of hard work, high seas, and grime, it would have shown an attractive, but subtle, tan.

Her clothes, as expected, were tattered and worn from work and being out on journey in general, but the clothing themselves were unfamiliar. She had canvas pants, strange boots, and a rather revealing top that didn't look quite right for this time. It was neither a thin cotton shirt that men worked with, not was it a corset a woman would wear, but it was slim. It would have been black, if it wasn't so faded, and the shirt was form fitting but still somewhat loose.

But her intense eyes were what kept his mouth from uttering a word. Well, it was the hardness they presented, and the striking bauble-and-trinket laden hair that had a somewhat striking resemblance to Captain Jack Sparrow's own hair. Her hair was almost as dark as his, and for a moment, he wondered—no, she couldn't be…could she?

Pintel stared, mouth somewhat agog before he realized, beyond her looks, she had a savage look in her eye. And she also had a sword in one hand—pointed at him—and a gun in the other—not pointed at him. What was also on her shoulder shocked him. It was Barbossa's pet monkey, Jack. He bared his little yellowed teeth at him, curled on her shoulder.

"RAGETTI! Answer me, ya bloody daft fool!"

The shout for him made Ragetti jolt from his daze. He jerked his head towards the gunwale, panting for a few moments like he'd been holding his breath and he rapidly cast glances between that and the girl. He took one step and she advanced two, sword waving at him. "Ah, ah!"

He stopped, heart pounding. Now he knew what it felt like to be everyone else. Sure, the curse he and the other pirates on Barbossa's ship liked the idea of immortality, but they had also forgotten to prepare themselves for the feeling of being human. The feeling of eating, drinking, and ravishing a woman, they anticipated. Fear, they had not. The fear of death and the fear of being killed had been nothing they prepared for. So he stood frozen, fearing for his life, even if it was a simple young woman.

But she had both a gun and a sword. That was enough to not provoke an attack from her. She smirked at him and pointed the gun at him. He hesitated. "How do I know that's really loaded?"

"How do you know it's not loaded? Do you really wish to take that risk, dude?"

The way she spoke, her accent and her words altogether, threw him off. Her altered speech was enough to provoke a hesitation and she moved forward, herding him towards the gunwale. He yelped when the gun cocked and the barrel pressed against his spine. He was slammed against the gunwale and he stared down to see Pintel staring up at him like he really was a bloody fool. But then he stopped when he saw the girl poised next to him, the gun at his back and the sword drawn to his throat once more.

She was the authority here now.

"You boys better get working fast. Jack and his men will be coming down the mountain real soon. I expect this ship to be in working order by then, savvy?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Why would he do this to us? If Jack is their chief—,"

"Aye, the Pelegostos have made Jack their chief. But he only _remains_ chief as long as he _acts_ like a chief."

Will could not see the point in denying this logic. It made sense. It was either act as the natives' chief and leader, or be turned into one of the prisoners like he had been turned into. He still could remember the indifference Jack had given him not too long ago, concerning his sudden presence on that stick, tied up like a slab of hunted meat. The only uprising he'd gotten from the man was when he'd said Elizabeth had been in danger.

"So he had no choice," Will finally replied. "He's a captive there as much as the rest of us."

"_Worse_, as it turns out." Gibbs sharply added. Will cast Gibbs a questioning gaze towards the older man. "You see, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a _god_, in human form. And they intend to do 'im the honor of releasing him from his fleshy prison."

Without warning, Mr. Cotton grabbed Gibbs' hand and chomped on the fingers. The seadog yanked his hand away with a pained cry and Will only watched the strange exchange. A slight look of disgust crossed his features as Gibbs continued, "They'll roast 'im and eat 'im."

Will did not like the sound of that. Immediately he ventured, "Where's the rest of the crew?"

Gibbs replied calmly, "These cages we're in? Weren't built 'til _after_ we got here."

His heart gave a start and Will removed his hand in sheer repulsion. The cage he was in had been built from the crew? He had to wonder, if with a nauseating fascination, what other barbaric rituals these people contended to in their daily lives. As Will battled his inner dilemma and morals of sitting in the bone cage, Gibbs said, "The feast is about to begin. And Jack's life will end, when the drums stop."

That was that.

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait then, can we?"

"You won't have to!"

The cry rose above the humdrum beatings of the tribal sounds from the village, surprising what remained of the crew. Faces jerked upwards, searching until they saw the waving, flailing and glinting metal limb, motioned towards them. A figure stood at the top of one of the cliffs and the figure, once crouched, now stood.

"Edward! M'boy, you're a saint, I tell ya! Where's yer brother? And the young ladies, are they all right?" Gibbs began instantly. There were cries from the others, Leech and several others rising above the others, Marty growling out his cheers and Mr. Cotton giving a silent grin and quiet shakes of the hand through the bone cage's gaps.

"We can't stay for long, the next guard will be here soon. Alphonse is here, the girls are fine, and we're gonna get you out somehow."

Alphonse—who was at the top of the cliff and out of sight of the prisoners—frowned at his brother. "I thought you said this wouldn't be such a great idea, brother."

Edward paused, thinking back on his words. Then he winced and shrugged sheepishly. "I know. But we don't exactly have cue cards for them to read from and I doubt they'd be able to read them from down there anyways. It's all clear, they don't seem to hide around their village like they did in the jungle. This may be our only chance to communicate."

Alphonse still frowned, but said nothing except giving a short, curt nod. Edward checked his surroundings again, then leaning back over the cliffside, he called, "Try and figure a way out of there. Try—," Edward stopped, thinking. "Try swinging! Like a ball on a swing, trying reaching the cliffs! You can climb up on the vines!"

There were mutterings amongst the others, callings back and forth between the cages below before he grinned. The men began to sway the cages back and forth, moving rapidly from one side to the other of the cages. Progress was achingly slow and all he and Alphonse could do was sit there, silently pleading for the idea to work. "You know, Alphonse, it's at these times, I wish this place didn't omit alchemy like it does. Makes me feel…useless."

He was given a nod in return, but nothing more. Alphonse kept his vigilant watch over the landscape, but it seemed the villagers were all congregated at the main village center where Jack was. There seemed to be a weak patrol concerning prisoners. They must feel confidant that if their intended prey was stupid enough to be captured, they were too stupid to figure out a way to get out of their prison. It was too bad that the Elric brothers were not to be had by a bunch of cannibalistic jungle-people.

After some time, the ball began to roll much more smoothly. The swinging caravan were far from touching either side of the canyon's cliff sides, but they seemed to be aiming for the one the Elric brothers were roosted on. The drums in the distance were still going on, and they had to wonder what the big celebration was. It annoyed Edward to no end and he began to feel agitated at the lack of knowing. It was probably some initiation for Jack, perhaps as thanks for becoming the big chief of the village. Jack Sparrow certainly looked the part; it was so ridiculous. Finally he turned in the direction of the village, one step away from gaining a twitchy little tic in his eye. He looked to his brother and Alphonse caught his eye, met his gaze and inquired what was wrong.

"I'm going back down to the village to see what the hell's going on. Keep an eye on them, would you?"

"But, brother, we—,"

"Look, unfortunate as it is, we need that bastard. He knows where this lady that's supposedly going to help us is, and no one else knows. If I can just get the coordinates, we could probably navigate our way there, even without him if we have to leave him behind. I need you to stay here and to help them out of those things when they get up here."

Alphonse stood with an unwillingness in his eyes to allow his brother to go alone, but finally, after some time he nodded. It pained Edward to leave his brother alone like this, with the possibility of an ambush, but he knew his brother would be fine. He was capable of defending himself and could probably plan a quick and strategic escape if need be.

Besides…they did need coordinates to this Tia Dalma lady, didn't they?

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Uhp! No, no! Oi! No, no, more wood! Big fire, _big_ fire! I am chief; I want big fire! C'mon, then."

Oh, how he had them wrapped around his finger. Of course, he liked being chief. He liked being captain. He liked others bustling beneath him to do his work. He just didn't like the idea of being eaten by a bunch of prehistoric natives. Jack quickly negotiated his way to getting more of the Pelegostos natives to add more wood to the pyre they were building in his honor—or more like, the fire for his barbeque, really. He smiled at their excitement, their distraction, their liveliness, but he knew he had to find his way out of there.

And that was why, when they had turned their backs on him, he fled. He ran for all his worth, crossing several bridges and down a path and then up another that led to one of the many constructed huts that lay about the tops of the cliffs on this island. They were hidden gems to be sure; he'd thought that native Indians of the Caribbean had been wiped out, but apparently the Spanish and the English had not done their job. Which, truthfully, might be a good thing, really. They were relics, but valuable ones.

Jack kept checking over his shoulder, trying to track the untraceable, invisible hunters of this village, nervous as hell, but by the devil he'd make it through! He thought cleverly to jump from one small section to another, perhaps land on a path below, but as he climbed a low built stone wall, he only found a cliff and several bridges—much too far and out of his way for a proper leap—beneath him. He glanced over his shoulder, sure that he'd have the natives breathing down his neck, but the sight of several long poles caught his eye and he thought for a moment that it could work. But, no, no it couldn't. He needed rope, or a vine, or something long of some sort.

Perhaps one of the huts had something. He knew that several ships went missing around the Caribbean in this particular area, perhaps there were past victims and these people seemed to have a big knack at producing things he'd only expect on merchant ships of some kind. He moved towards the last hut on the hill, pushing back the hanging doorway and stopped short, his grin fading.

The room was small and cramped, piled high with things that had definitely originated from ships of all sorts. He saw weaponry of all kinds, each dangling from the ceiling with red rust which he knew without a doubt was dried blood. A polished silver tea set was neatly propped up, there were delicate bone-white china plates, a human skull and what suspiciously looked like a leg bone of some kind… And then there were plenty of chests, most likely filled with some lady's highly priced clothing, such as handmade corsets from London, made from the highly sought out whale bones that men hunted on the high seas.

But, Jack's eyes only scanned all of this and more with a quick wink of the eye before he lit up at the sight of a coil of rope. He stepped forward and snatched it right up, but stopped, poised to leave the hut when something shiny caught his eye. He picked whatever it was up, and discovered it was a can of paprika. But when he turned it over, at the bottom was an engraved signature of the East India Trading Company. Disturbed, he stared over this little discovery as he stepped out, but when he looked up, he found painted bodies, pierced faces, wild hairstyles and staring white eyes looking at him.

"Oh, bugger."

Silent as the grave, they were, and Jack smiled coyly as he shed himself of his one and only hope for escape. Then he undid the lid of the paprika, and began powdering the undersides of his shirt's arms. He noticed the odd stares and a flare of enjoyment at that lit up inside of him. Oh, yes, he could still pull one up on them, just like he did with everyone else. Strangely enough, he was reminded of how two certain young women could do just the same: the men on his ship and sometimes, himself included, thought they had the young women figured and then they do something that comes off as strange and alien, even in his book.

"A little seasoning, aye?" He asked them with that same Cheshire cat grin on his face. The situation he still ended up in, he did not like at all: tied up on a stick and ready to be roasted like a pig on a spit.

This did not bode well for Captain Jack Sparrow, no, it did not.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The men screeched at the top of their lungs, heaving back and forth in the small space provided to them. All Alphonse could do was sit at the top, keep his eyes and ears open to the world around him, and still watch the men battle for their lives at the bottom of their rope. He cheered them on, even Leech and his men. At one point, they had reached the cliff and Alphonse's heart gave a flip for joy. But, it didn't last long before the men had ripped away their vines and flew off in the opposite direction. He shared their frustration, pounding a fist in the dirt beside him, which he couldn't help more than just sitting idly by like he was.

Several more tries ended up in failure. More ripped vines, more crumbling cliff sides, and more aggravated shouts. Alphonse was beginning to feel that frustration overcome him as well. He just hoped his brother was doing much better than him and the others were.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

If he honestly hated the man to no ends, he probably would have thought this morbidly funny. But the fact that it looked like they were going to cook Jack, it disgusted him. He's heard of societies, ancient though they may be, that actually consumed the flesh of other humans. The practice made his stomach churn and he wondered if Jack had obscured or omitted something to the tribesmen, only to have it come back and bite him in the ass. It certainly would have shown the man lying wasn't as simple as it seemed, but now was not the time to gloat. The coordinates to Tia Dalma's was the only thing he needed from the man.

The villagers were in a riot now. They cheered and danced, covered in war paint it seemed, men and women and children alike all gathered around the bonfire Jack was to be cooked on. One man, carrying a torch with flame, came running in the middle of the circle, and screamed to the heavens, "Aaahh! Fie-fie!"

Almost as soon as he yelled this, the drums had stopped. In response, the villagers all echoed the word "Fie-fie". It didn't even take a genius to figure out what fie-fie translated to, nor what the fire in the cannibal's hand was meant for. Edward's heart seized tightly in his chest and he suddenly felt that this all seemed to be going downhill, ever since Jack's finding of the sketch, ever since his (stranger) behavior had allowed him to abandon his stupid hat at sea. It all seemed wrong, ever since that night in the rum compartment of the ship, where Jack's strange visitor had up and disappeared, and where Jack seemed the most paranoid Edward has ever seen.

He froze and felt constricted, unable to move from his spot as he saw the man with the torch lower it towards the waiting wood, where Jack was tied up right beneath. It nearly touched before a voice arose in the hushed and tensed excitement, pointing in the direction where Alphonse and the other crewmen were. The torch lifted immediately, and relief washed over Edward momentarily. Whatever the young man in his war paint and bare feet and slicked hair said, all eyes turned towards Jack, waiting and in suspense for his next words. Even then, Edward curiously noted, they were depending on an answer from the man they apparently were prepared to eat.

"Well, go on! Go get them! Hellala!"

"HELLALA!" The voices of the cannibalistic men and women shouted in unison. Excitement once more rippled through them, and they rushed away, spears and bows and arrows all in hand. The one thing they dropped was the torch, right next to the would-be bonfire.

Then it hit Edward. Over the shouts of exhilaration, over the whoops of thrill, cold fear drenched him. His heart hammered and he suddenly threw himself in motion, fluidly moving his way back down the way he had come, cursing himself for such a complicated path just to get to Jack. Now he had no choice but to leave the man for himself, forgetting that the fire was next to him, forgetting that when the villagers returned, they'd eat him. His brother was in danger, perhaps without warning of the cannibals coming his way. He also calculated that they'd need the crew now more than ever. Four people to run the ship, not including Jack, would be difficult, no, near impossible.

He was torn as he slipped into the vegetation, missing the cliffs, scrambling to get to through and over. Leave Jack and help his brother, or switch the roles. He chose his brother. They could always find someone else—perhaps Gibbs would do—who knew the coordinates to this Tia Dalma's, the supposed "friend" of Jack's. Edward could only think, how could a man like Jack Sparrow have friends, anyways?

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Ample enthusiasm swelled in Alphonse as he hurriedly helped pull up the cage—which in his horror, as he helped heave it up, was created entirely of bones and vines—and over the cliff's edge. Relieved faces reflected his own through the cage and he heard one man—an unfamiliar face, the new man—shout, "Cut it loose! Find a rock!"

Alphonse set to work, down on his knees, scrambling about the lush ground, fingers groping at the dirt. Someone must have beaten him to it, because they were already slicing at the thick vine that had suspended the cage over the cliff side not one hour ago. He helped tug at the vine, hoping to help the strain of it snap off. When it came loose, the shouts and whoops and hollers of the villagers caught everyone's ears. He looked over his shoulder, tense and wary, heart pounding away. They burst through the thick vegetation, leaping and dashing away towards them.

"Roll the cage!"

He stood and began helping to push the cage. Then suddenly it was out of his hands and he stopped momentarily, eyes wide when he saw the cage had gone down a steep incline. Al glanced over his shoulder, back tense and legs bursting with newly found energy and he ducked down as an arrow whizzed by. He darted down after the cage's path, yelping when another arrow had gotten close enough to nick his arm. He held it as he shakily ran down the hill, the cage rolling out of his view momentarily, and then bouncing into sight once more. He heard the men shouting ahead, the villagers screaming behind him and he held his bleeding arm close, teeth clenched together as he dove down and off to the side of the vegetation, carving his own path separately from the cage, and from the approaching tribal natives. The closest ones zipped right past where he had previously been running down, not even noticing him. He snapped to quickly, not relishing in his escape. Alphonse continued making his way down, ducking down low and under a low hanging tree, behind the thick trunks or thick growing shrubbery.

He did not ease up once, never allowing himself to relax or let his guard down. He was well behind enemy lines, and there was not relaxing until he was back on the _Pearl_, back on the ocean…back where Bishquet was. The thought of her made his heart flutter and he stopped for a moment, wishing he had gone back when he said they were. _Well, there's no changing that now. I just have to make it back in one piece. _

He picked his pace back up again, and before he knew it, was on level ground once again. He could still hear the murderous screams of the cannibals, and he could still hear the men in the cage shouting. Then he heard a distinct, but tinny, "Lift the cage! Hurry!"

"Come on, lads! Lift it like a lady's skirt!"

Alphonse hurried, doubling his pace until he was bounding at a breakneck speed, wincing when he got a slap in the face or hit by a branch on his cut arm. Then he saw the gleam of fading white bones, saw the men making a run for it. He broke from the canopy of greenery and moved alongside the men. He saw the men looking over their shoulders and he did too, and his heart gave an extra hard thump at how dangerously close the villagers were. Spears were thrust in the air threatening, bows and arrows undoubtedly ready to be strung and shot. The men shouted in his ears and all he could do was force the calmness onto himself, unlike the harrowed, troubled men beside him and listen to his breathing, focusing on escape. Screaming and yelling had no effect, although it seemed to show the others moral into keep going.

Then, all of a sudden, the ground gave way and disappeared beneath him and he was careening over a cliff's edge. Panic didn't even have time to set in until cooling water engulfed him and he kicked to the surface. Bodies pushed up against him, and he realized that the cage must have broken. At least that was one less task for him to take care of once they were out of this mess. Now all he had to focus on was the villagers. "This way, lads!"

He turned to the voice and saw Mr. Gibbs and he felt relief well up inside him. They were all unharmed, a miraculous ordeal to think about. He had to wonder how, but he stopped, knowing that there was no time for that. Perhaps later.

Not even a few feet of swimming could cure their ailment of pursing enemies. They appeared over the cliffs, crude but effective weapons brandished at them. Already arrows and spears began flying, plunging deeply into the water. Another must have nicked him, because his calf started burning with red-hot pain. He clenched his jaw and stroked steadily forward, reaching for the rocky edges of the waterway. He dove under the water, following the others' examples of safety.

All he could do now was hope he and the others would escape this hellish nightmare…and hope that his brother was safe.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She did nothing as Jack the Monkey twirled along the shrouds and along the hundreds of lines that helped work the ship and its sails. Instead, she kept her gun out, loaded just the way she had been taught to, sword buckled at her hip, and she watched Ragetti work with tremendous effort on deck. She would have helped him, but she trusted her gut instinct now more than ever to not turn her back on him. At least, not for the moment, she wouldn't. Bish, even though she heard the shouting, had remained below deck while Lupin had crawled aboard herself when the two arrived.

She also had told Bish she could handle Ragetti, once he was on deck, before she climbed to meet the man. She had packed herself with the ammo and the gunpowder, slapped the sword at her side, and had been ready to go. The remark Bish had left her with did not let her stop and grin like a fool. Instead she had shrugged and had continued on deck. Bish had not been heard from since them, and frankly, Lupin was glad: it meant her friend was safe and it was one less person to worry over while she was on deck. Plus, Ragetti had no clue Bish was even on board. A safer bet to go off on.

Now she was keeping her eyes on Ragetti, while he was at work. The drums stopped some time ago, and while anticipation held her fast, she knew it would work out. It had to.

"Hurry up with that line, man! We don't have all bloody day!"

"Yes, sir!"

That alone made Lupin suddenly grin like an idiot. She liked being called "Sir" more than "Ma'am". It felt more fitting somehow.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Oh, boy, got to get away. That was the one thing on Jack Sparrow's mind. He'd escaped the bonfire, but he was still tied to the bloody line. It was not what he had in mind as it meant to escape and he had hoped for William bloody Turner to show up and do some razzle-dazzle escape like he had on his would-be execution day in Port Royal. He doubted some acting on little Lizzie's behalf would have helped him, though, if she were here. The cannibals would have probably gobbled her right up instead of helping her to her feet.

Jack scrambled over the low stone wall, struggling to keep himself balanced while still tied to the pole. Then he stopped, struggling at it with his hands, muttering under his breath. He would _chew_ through it, dammit, if it meant—oh.

He paused, seeing a young boy with a fork and knife in his hands, simply staring at him. There was an awkward pause between the two of them—pirate and cannibal—before Jack leapt off the wall and scuttled sideways towards the boy and snatched the knife away from him. The boy immediately made a run for it without a word, the scuffling of his bare feet on dirt dying away almost instantly. He began sawing furiously at the rope binding him, but it only took one cut before he felt more eyes upon him. Two village women stood ahead of him, plates of fruit in their hands. They, too, simply stared at him wordlessly and he felt the silence all too creepy.

Jack let out a yell, charging forward in a desperate move, and the women moved aside as the pole slammed into a pile of coconuts. He stuck fast before he realized the coconut he had struck was attached to the pole and an idea struck him. He twirled, swinging with almighty force and attempted to toss the coconut at one of the women.

The plan did not work out and she moved with surprisingly graceful speed and caught the coconut inches from her face. She bared her god-awful yellowed teeth at her in a small scowl, coconut milk dripping down her painted face. The women began screeching at him, tossing all fruits available to them at him. Some bounced painfully off of him. Quite a few exploded on what other available surfaces they hit when they didn't hit him. Others began striking to the poles and sliding down them, skewered. One of the women had gotten behind him and struck at the back pole, while the other stayed at his front. Before long, he had a large collection on both ends of the poles.

It finally took a very loud and disgruntled, "STOP IT!" to make the two women pause in their efforts to "fruit" him. They stopped finally and it was silent for a long moment. He took another effort of flailing arms and a screaming charge. They certainly didn't seem affected by it, but he surely was. The front end of his pole caught against the wall and suddenly, he was flipping the air, vaulted clear over the cliffs that had been an imposing obstacle moments before. His legs shook, jarred from the landing and he let out a "Whoa!" as he found solid ground instead of continuous air beneath his feet.

A single relieved laugh escaped his lips, a small grin on his face as he stared at the ground before him. He felt weight suddenly shift and he realized all too late that the fruit in the back had begun slipping backwards, weighing him down. Then the fruit ahead of him began sliding forwards. Panic settled down nice and deep into his chest before he began shouting at the top of his lungs, flailing his arms and legs helplessly as he was once more, plunging through the air. The poles clutched at the cliffs, the ropes began unwinding and he became very dizzy. Then a jolt shuddered up (or rather, down) his leg as Jack hung there, suspended momentarily, trying to knock the dizziness out of himself quickly and to refocus and rethink his situation.

Above him, the women who had been harassing poor old Jack merely stared at the event, and when they began to realize the show was over, they spoke short words to one another, and left.

Down below, the poles slipped and Jack felt it all too clearly. He simply sighed.

"Bugger."

Then it was back to screaming and flailing, all the way down, and by some stray chance, he somehow managed to hit almost every wooden bridge on the way down, before landing on solid ground once again. He lay there, groaning away, his thoughts muddled, but one clear line looped about crazily through his mind: _I'm alive._

Then the pole that had cause him so much misery suddenly appeared above him, slamming into the ground beside his head. Then the fruits that had been thrown so viciously at him by those terrifying native women landed in a circle around his aching body.

Oh, if only they were living objects…then he'd have them keelhauled, the lot of them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He couldn't do much when the natives had his brother and the crew surrounded in the gully below. He could only stop and stare in horror as arrows and spears were let loose and he wished, more than anything in this world that his alchemy could work here. He wished to not be so goddamned helpless, he wished—!

His wishes stopped and Edward heard, rather than saw, a young boy break through the vicious pack of hungry cannibals and quell the angry natives. He spoke in that foreign tongue of theirs, urgency lining his voice. Then, just as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone, disappearing quickly into the jungle. Edward wasted no time moving in place of the villagers and he leaned down, seeing the men and his brother safe and sound.

"Brother!"

"Alphonse! Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, just get back to the ship, we'll meet you there!" He motioned along the water below them and Edward. Once more with wishful thinking, wanted these prosthetic limbs no longer, only wanting flesh and blood so he could jump down there and be sure that his brother would make it back safe and sound. "Follow the water, it's leading this way! Chances are, it'll lead back out to the beach. Go back to the _Pearl_ and check on the girls! I'll be fine!"

Once more, he splashed along the way the water was flowing and with great reluctance; Edward nodded fervently and got up, following the cliffs, following the flow of the water. It didn't take him long to realize his brother had been right all along. The water trailed out towards a small, shallow pool of water and he went around it. Turning through the vegetation and the jungle, he found himself back on the beach, back where the _Pearl_ was. He felt anger chafe at him when he saw a man, with a dog trotting at his feet, tugging at one of the lines that had been used to hold down the _Black Pearl_. Edward ran down the sand, shouting at the man. The man stopped, squinting, then backed away with a scowl.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"What am _I _doing? What are _you_ doin'? You part of Jack's crew, boy?"

"So what if I am? What the hell are you doing? Stealing our ship?" He growled right back. The plump man stopped, yellowed teeth grit at him.

"No, I'm _salvagin'_ it. An' tell yer wench t' stay offa Ragetti's back! That's my _cousin_ up there an' if she hurts 'em, there'll be the bloody devil to pay an' I'll wearin' 'er guts fer garters, you hear me, _boy_?"

Edward stepped forward and clenched his metal hand around the man's neck. "And if you threaten her again, I'll beat your ass so badly, you'll be _wishing_ you were dead! You _got_ me?"

The fear was evident almost immediately when the man realized Edward's hand was not real. He nodded as best he could, making a gurgling noise before Edward dropped him. The man fell in a slump on the wet sand as the tide rushed at him, coughing violently. The dog barked. Edward moved towards the still connected line and began climbing up it as quickly as possible. Then a thought hit him and he realized this must have been how the natives got up. He'd been wracking his brain ever since they first appeared nights ago how they got up. He never thought of this thing.

When he got up, he saw the strangest sight, but he couldn't help grinning, not even realizing he was doing so. Lupin was standing—well, more like lounging—against the base of the mast, gun and sword both present as she watched Jack the Monkey scatter about the deck, with a severely thin man running after him. Then he heard the man down below shouting up at the thin man—Ragetti.

Lupin was grinning like an idiot, near to laughing. "It's not funny! He's got me eye!"

While the man was acting like a clown, Edward dodged Ragetti and moved towards Lupin. She noticed him immediately and moved forward quickly. Before he knew it, she was hugging him fiercely, face buried against his shoulder. "Oh, Jesus _Christ_, where the hell have you _been_? You've been gone way too long—I almost thought they got you!"

Her hands hand run over his chest, his shoulders, his face and when she realized what she was doing, she promptly pulled her hands back, just as she was touching his long hair. He suddenly missed the touch, but the feeling passed by quickly and he glanced at the stumbling pirate behind him before looking back at Lupin. "Where's Bish?"

"Down below. I told her I could handle this." She smirked. He felt his own tip his lips.

"Obviously. You've got the other guy down there worried like hell about his cousin."

"They're _cousins_?" She asked dubiously.

He couldn't answer. The shouts from below interrupted him and they both turned their gazes towards the gunwale where they heard the man below going on, "Pull loose the mooring line! _The mooring line!_"

Jack the Monkey and Ragetti both scrambled about on deck behind the wolf and the former alchemist. Just as the pirate had the monkey in his one-eyed sight, the monkey dashed off with a screech. He yelled gruffly from the ground, "Thief! Li'l 'airy thief, give it _back!_"

The monkey began gnawing on the wooden eye while he perched on a gun. "Don't bite it!"

"What the hell's going on?"

Lupin and Edward turned to see Bish climbing up on deck. She rubbed at her eyes and slid her glasses back into place. "What's with him?"

"Were you _sleeping _this whole time?" Lupin blinked back her surprise. Bish grinned and shrugged, and then stretched and yawned.

"Haul loose the mooring line!"

The shout brought everyone back together and Edward found himself drawn back to earth. He shifted in his place and followed after Ragetti to the gunwale, settling on the other side of a cannon. "He's got me eye, he won't give it back!"

The childish shout did nothing to affect the man below and relief welled up inside Edward when he saw the crew coming up behind him. Then dread and panic once more filled his chest. Where was Alphonse?

A hand descended upon his shoulder and he turned, almost angrily. But then it dissipated and he found himself staring at a grinning Alphonse. It took Edward a moment to react and he gave his brother a strong hug, which the younger Elric returned. "Goddammit, what the hell were you doing, performing a play on your way here?"

"I thought I'd get a role in and they offered one for you, too." His brother replied glibly. Edward laughed before he heard the shouts of many sailors below. Two more bodies pounced against him and Alphonse and the girls joined in before splitting off once again. Bish had stolen Alphonse away, covering his face with kisses, muttering hurriedly in Spanish in between them. Alphonse returned them with fervor, and Edward stood aside, staring for a moment, surprised before he looked at his side and saw the wolf, her lips pursed. Then she dropped her gaze and looked away from the scene. Edward hesitated, wanting to say something, but she turned from him as well. "Jack! Drop the eye!"

The shout jolted Edward and he turned and saw the monkey pause before giving a loud shriek and with a childish screech, tossed the eyeball at her. She caught it and moved towards the moaning Ragetti. "Here! Get the damned mooring line undone, ya bloody daft fool!"

"Yes, sir, right away, sir! Pintel, hurry up, I got me eye back! Get up here!"

Edward stood rooted to his spot, the shouting of men suddenly filling the air once more, staring at the ramrod straight figure of the wolf. Her shoulders were rolled back, back straight, head held high and for a moment, he suddenly saw the pirate in her. The sword at her side and the gun at her belt were testimony of something awakening inside her and he almost see the clothing for this time suiting her. He saw something else about her, something much more, but he didn't take that long to figure out what. There was no time. He moved from his numbed state and moved towards the shrouds. He shouted for Lupin and the others. "Come on! If we're getting out of here, we gotta get the sails down!"

"Thatta boy, Mr. Elric! Get those sails down!"

He didn't need to be told twice. He honestly knew that much.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

There was no time to waste, Will knew, as he saw the strong lad with the mop of dirty blondish hair already move towards the rising tide and the ladder, up to the deck and disappearing above. He was quick to be sure, and he wondered briefly how quick with a sword he was. Mr. Gibbs, however, brought him back to earth.

"Make ready to sail, boys!"

"What about Jack? I won't leave without him!"

There came no answer from the men around him—he vaguely remembered the one holding the mooring line as one of Barbossa's old men—as one came from behind him.

"OI!"

Men stopped to stare down the beach, as a lone figure suddenly appeared at the shore's edge. Hope arose in Will as he smiled in relief. Then it faded when he saw Jack running full speed down the beach, with many of the natives angrily darting after him on his heels.

"Time to go." He simply said. There was no need for crazed, cannibalistic natives any more. Will was through.

Gibbs screeched loudly, "Cast off those lines!"

Down on the beach, Captain Jack Sparrow shouted unintelligibly as he glanced over his shoulder. The natives shouted and barreled down after him. Jack passed a barking dog and as he passed, he called, "Good doggie."

Another glance told him that it was still not time to take a break and pass out the rum quite yet. His ship was leaving and he aimed to be on it. Jack bounced passed the waves, waving his arms wildly in the air as he moved closer towards the shrouds and the ladder on the side, the coil of rope still connected to his leg. The villagers stopped just at the waves, kicking up water, stopping and shouting to him.

He made it to his ship and clung to the shrouds, swinging back on one arm as he stared at their pleading faces. "Alas, my children, this is the day that you will _always_ remember as the day that you _almost_—," A passing wave disrupted his tirade and while he, sopping wet and quite snuffed out of the excitement by the Caribbean waters, continued, "Captain Jack Sparrow…"

Ah, what a day…

It was certainly a day that Captain Jack Sparrow did _not_ want to repeat, ever again.

Back on the beach, the natives continued crying out to their leader, their god, who had abandoned them in so unrighteous a manner. Their pleads, however, fell upon the deaf ears of Captain Jack Sparrow. But, almost immediately, their cries died off all at once at the incessant barking of a four-legged creature. It was a creature unknown and strange, not of their island. They all stared at the wagging tail, the panting grin and salt-encrusted fur.

Then the animal whined and took off down the beach, running faster than any animal they've seen move before. It carried down the sand on swift legs and quick feet. They pursued, intent on catching this strange, barking creature. Perhaps the man who spoke too many languages wasn't their god. He was false! This four-legged creature, however, may be their true god.

The chase was on for their true god!

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**I omitted some scenes and did not completely follow movie protocol. I thought I'd put them together instead of splitting them up here and there like the movie does. Hope it didn't upset too many of ya.**

**Anyway, this was one of the longest chapters I have ever written for this story. Actually, it really is the longest chapter! Twenty pages! Yeesh! xD Show your love and review, please! Pain in my ass to write, so show the love! xD**


	41. Witch Doctor

**Witch Doctor**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Lizzy Lou**

**Keiyou**

**Shinzochi**

**KageArai**

**YaoiLuvr**

**Dontmezwitme**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Now, we are bringing in Tia Dalma! 8D So, mind you now, there may or may not be difficulty understanding how I've written her speech. I hope you don't find it too difficult, and if you do, I apologize ahead of time! **

**I sense this will be another long chapter…**

**Also, **_**Dontmezwitme**_**, your review made me grin like a moron. It made my day. xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_I am no more a witch than you are a wizard. If you take my life away, God will give you blood to drink._  
**- Sarah Good**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The men were already at work on his ship. Good. He liked it when they tidied up, even if they were gone for near a week or so. He heard the squawk of Mr. Cotton's parrot, the wind at his face, the surf all around him, and the men mumbling amongst themselves. There were fewer men than he would have liked, but it was certainly better than nothing at all. Mr. Gibbs approached him quickly and he began, "Let's put some distance between us and this island."

"Yes to the first, yes to the second, but only as so far as we keep to the shallows as much as possible." As Jack responded, both Pintel and Ragetti came behind their newly found captain and draped his coat over his tired shoulders. Pintel sharply saluted Jack when the captain gave him a quick glance, then turned to face the grinning Ragetti, who now had his eye back.

"Now, that seems a bit contradictory, cap'n," Gibbs said uncertainly, with a somewhat pointed stare.

"I think that's the point, Mr. Gibbs." The two men paused at the new intrusion and Jack was the first to react.

"Ah! There's the lucky charm of the ship; or, at least, one of them. I see that you haven't failed to keep my ship tidy." Lupin kept a pinched, but smug little smile on her face before Jack turned back to Mr. Gibbs and continued, "I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs. Now where is that monkey? I want to shoot something."

The monkey screeched and Lupin suddenly realized this would have been where the monkey would have dropped Ragetti's eyeball. Unfortunately, as it seems, her interference had swayed for it to be taken back much earlier than before. Jack began pulling out his pistol, cocking the thing before Will stepped forward, suddenly and out of the blue.

"Jack."

"Ah?"

Lupin stepped aside, although she scowled at William. She would give him a verbal beating. Maybe even a physical one. Jack might let her, might not let her, but she vowed to get one punch in and a lecture right afterwards. _Worst. Pirate. _Ever. _He's a sweet guy for Lizzie; very bad pirate of the seas._

"Elizabeth is in danger."

_No, she isn't, you silly boy._ Lupin thought. The bold governor's daughter was far from helpless and plenty far from danger, but she couldn't let Will know that.

She trailed after the two as Jack replied, "Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her? Maybe just lock her up somewhere?"

"She _is_ locked up, in a prison, bound to hang for helping _you._"

Up the stairs they went. Everyone else was too busy to notice her trailing after the two, so she felt she was safe for the moment from Edward or Alphonse's prying eyes. Bish knew she would be playing covert for the time being, and then Lupin would relay what information she gleaned. Not that there was much, really, Lupin was following their dialogue before they even said it. It was scary enough, but she was no psychic, no. She was, unfortunately, a fangirl who had too many hours and free time and boredom that a few _Pirates_ movies couldn't cure.

But she wasn't squealing like an idiot over being here, she was certainly not jumping for joy like a mindless oaf at what was unfolding before her. And, she was definitely not spazzing for hearing the words spew forth from these men's mouths. She was simply focused on keeping tabs on their words, keeping tabs on their journey now. Surviving was all that mattered at the moment and not mindless fangirl moments. She didn't even feel like one anymore, not really, anyways.

When she had brought herself back down to earth, no longer with her head up in the clouds and thinking hard on things, the conversation of the men brought her back to focus.

"—What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste."

Lupin straightened her shoulders and stood by Mr. Gibbs, positioned by the helm and he gave her a worried glance. While Jack and Will continued, their conversation was lost as Mr. Gibbs leaned towards her and asked, "I already saw the young Elric lads, they came fer us. So, I know they're fine. But, are you and Miss Ana all right?"

The wolf turned to him and she smiled sincerely at the old seadog and nodded complacently. "Yes, we're fine. Are you guys all right?"

He tossed his head lightly from side to side in the yes-and-no gesture. "We lost more than half the crew, as you can see. Leech and his lot among them. The rest were, well…I don't fancy harming yours or Miss Ana's state of minds on the things those natives did."

"They were cannibals. Probably ate some of the crew." Lupin simply answered. Mr. Gibbs paused, startled before he hesitantly nodded.

"Well…yes. The…Pelegostos were…man-eaters, as it were. But, I suppose I should have taken into account that you and Miss Ana are far from fragile in the mind. I've forgotten in my absence."

"Don't be sorry. It's okay. Where I come from, I've heard stories worse than those about cannibals." Lupin answered glibly to the older man. Mr. Gibbs frowned uncertainly at her, almost in disbelief before he nodded in agreement.

Then Lupin paused, noting that there was silence between William and Jack. She excused herself from Mr. Gibbs side and tapped Will on the shoulder. He turned, the sheet with the sketch of Davy Jones' key on it and she gave him a hard slug on the shoulder. Shocked, Will stumbled away, having dropped the sketch. She shook her head slowly, only having changed her mind the very last second from punching the man in the face to punching him in the shoulder. It was a very split decision and she decided the shoulder was the best for now. At least, until he did something else to piss her off and then he'd earn the slug in the face.

"_That_ is for going off into the jungle, without listening to me or my friend about the bloody cannibals! You're the _worst_ pirate ever, William Turner!"

It felt good to vent.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The ship that Elizabeth had chosen as her stowaway ride had just been leaving Port Royal, the crew getting ready to set sail early in the morning. She jumped aboard just as everyone was either below deck, in town gathering last minute supplies or were in the captain's quarters for whatever reason they were there. She had taken an extra set of trousers, boots that fit, a cotton man's shirt and a faded, plain vest. For extra precaution, she had buttoned that up to hide her breasts, tied her hair back in a man's fashion and put on a flimsy hat. Her face she dirtied—much to her own chagrin—and materialized as a simple cabin boy. No one was the wiser and as the sails were set, with men careening above among the masts, her wedding dress was discovered.

It wasn't long before the men of the crew had gathered at the discovery, tearing at it like starving dogs over a scrap of meat. She heard it rip above the arguing and that alone chipped at her heart. Will had called her beautiful when he saw her in it, but she knew he would have meant it if she had been wearing what she currently had on to their wedding as well. But, she made no notions of recognition at the sound.

Suddenly the captain passed her and broke through crowd, bellowing out, "What's all this?"

The shouts died down straight away and Elizabeth moved closer to hear, her heart pounding away in her chest. She had felt no fear when facing Lord Beckett, not even when she had the pistol leveled with his face. And she had been ready to kill him, and she knew she would not fear discovery or madness or punishment. She would have done so, without remorse or regret. But now that she was here…she felt that fear of discovery overwhelm her. So, she strained her ears to stay open to the men and the captain.

"If you both fancy the dress, you'll just have to shave and wear it one after the other."

The crew laughed at the main opponents of the argument, and she suppressed her own. Instead she smiled, almost grinning foolhardily with teeth and all. She couldn't really imagine any of the men wearing her dress at all. It just seemed too ridiculous!

"No, it's not like that, sir." Elizabeth checked over her shoulder at this and focused on the speaker for a few seconds before dropping her gaze, continuing to paint the gunwale. "This ship is _haunted_."

The ship's captain did not sound convinced at this comment. "Is it now? And you?"

"There is a female presence amongst us here, sir. All the men, they can feel it." Elizabeth kept painting, over and over in the same spot, keeping her head down, refusing to look up. She couldn't look frantic, that would give her away. She merely kept telling herself to keep painting, even if she was going over the same spot over and over again.

"Belongs to a lady, widowed before her marriage, I figure it. Searching for her husband, lost at sea." Remarked a third sailor.

"Virgin, too, likely as not." Added a fourth, before he continued, "And that bodes ill by all accounts."

Elizabeth finally lifted her head up to gaze at the conversers, peering over the faces of the men with a guarded gaze.

"I say," said the second sailor, "we throw the dress overboard, and hope the spirit _follows_ it!"

The third one jumped in and stated quickly, "No! That-that will just _anger_ the spirit, sir. What we need to do is find out what the spirit needs, and give it _back_ to her!"

The stowaway smiled slightly at the men's silly and superstitious spouting off, wondering if this was what they truly believed in when sailing on the seas. She had to wonder briefly what other superstitions—besides the quite olden and golden one of women aboard ships brought bad luck—they believed in.

The men began shouting once more at the last bit of the third sailor's loud statements, before the captain intervened almost right away.

"Enough! _Enough!_" He barked. "You're a pair of superstitious goats, and it's got the best of ye." He stepped forward and yanked the dress from the two quarreling sailors. They released it without resistance. Elizabeth had her attention on them now. "Now, this appears to be as no more that we have a stowaway on board; a young woman, by the look of it. I want you to search the ship and find her." Here the captain paused, before adding with a bit of teased bait to his words, "Oh, and uh, she's probably _naked_."

This stirred up the excitement in the crew, wide and expectant eyes and hurried motions as they began their incredible search for a naked woman that didn't exist. Elizabeth joined the fray, wrung her hands after she dropped her brush into its bucket and then moved off in a random direction to appear busy. The pointless search was on, and her voyage to the open seas began.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The available longboats were lowered after the _Pearl_ was moored in the small, shallow natural harbor of an island, which Jack failed to name. Instead he called off orders, calling his men all sorts of names, shouting for them to hurry up and get those boats down. Everyone piled into them, and began their journey up the river of the island, Jack's boat in the lead. Soon, the jungle of the island enveloped them with the greenery pressing down on them on both sides. People blended in with the scenery, dark-skinned and silent as the grave, watching as the pirates passed. They passed houses built on top of the water as well, and people stood outside on their small verandas to watch. The buzzing of insects, the calls of birds and croaking of animals were consistent and never seemed to die down.

Bish had stolen Alphonse away and stowed into the first longboat with Jack, leaving no more (willing) room in it. Lupin and Edward had settled in the second. William had been almost tempted to find a way to squeeze into the first longboat with Jack. But, upon seeing Mr. Gibbs—the only one who seemed to know of Jack and his mysterious personality and past the best—had chosen the second longboat with the old sea dog. So, he settled uncomfortably by the wolf, and he still remembered the shock of having been punched by the young woman. She never apologized afterwards, merely screeched at him about his idiocy. "_You are an _idiot_, and I cannot stress that _idiot_ part __enough!_"

However, he did not miss the scolding he had seen the young woman had gone through from her friend, who had introduced herself as Ana, although her regularly used alias was Bishquet. The one who had punched him had been named Lupin. Not soon afterwards, he saw her once more being reprimanded by a young man, who had later introduced himself and his brother, as Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric. He had been the one who had formally apologized on behalf of Lupin's behavior.

When they had traveled far up river, with no talking amongst themselves, Will finally felt his curiosity overflow and he turned to Mr. Gibbs and asked openly, "Why is Jack afraid of the open water?"

"Well, if you believe in such things, there's a beast that does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome creature with tentacles that suction your face clean off and drag an entire ship to the crushing darkness." With dramatic fervor and hand gestures, Mr. Gibbs looked at Pintel and Ragetti, who were the rowers of the boat they were. Then he glanced at Will and spoke seriously, "The Kraken."

Pintel, Marty and Ragetti either looked back on Gibbs or to one another. Edward let out a single laugh.

"The Kraken? That old sea legend? Come on, there's no way a creature that big could exist without being discovered. And there's no way that an animal that big could _survive_, even. It's scientifically impossible." He laughed again, despite the serious faces around him, but when he turned to Lupin, actually expectant of her to join in, and even agree with him, he slowly stopped. She wasn't laughing and instead looked at him just as seriously as the others, if not more with an even blanker face than the others. Lupin blinked once before glancing at Will first, then Mr. Gibbs.

"Go on, Mr. Gibbs. Tell us more."

He pursed his lips, almost disappointed at the interruption, but he nodded, ready to continue, but not before giving Edward one last look. He turned back to Will. "They say the stench of its breath is…ooh." He gave a shudder. "Imagine…the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken, and the reeking odor of a thousand rotting corpses."

"Or more." Lupin remarked quietly. Gibbs gave her a glance and then a nod.

"Aye, perhaps more than a thousand. If you _believe_ in such things."

"And the key will spare him that?" Will continued to venture further.

"Now, that's the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough to even visit…_her._"

Will narrowed his eyes momentarily at Mr. Gibbs and Edward leaned in with just as much burning curiosity. What kind of woman were they visiting? He had never put much thought into it, not until now. Was this Tia Dalma an alchemist? Was she someone who knew secrets on how to bypass the laws of no alchemy in this world? It seemed rather flat on possibilities, but he could think of no other ways. Could she send him and his brother home? Dammit, he wished Jack had told them about this mysterious woman more than what he had given them, which hadn't been much to begin with.

Will raised a brow at Mr. Gibbs and questioned, "_Her?_"

Mr. Gibbs nodded. "Aye."

Edward puckered his lips into a thin line, and he leaned back. Lupin frowned, glancing around at the small swampy shacks that they were passing before looking to Edward.

"What kind of woman is Jack's friend like?" He finally questioned Gibbs outright. The old seadog looked at Edward and sighed heavily.

"You'll just have to see. I've never met her afore, so I can't plain tell ya. I've only _heard_ of her, not _seen_ her m'self."

They rode in a pit of silence for another few hours. Lupin had brought her iPod with her, and while she received strange glances from Will, she did not heed to his curiosity. Instead, she offered an ear bud to Edward, who wordlessly took it and they both sat side-by-side, listening to whatever fancied on the playlist. Mostly it turned out to be frequently changed albums, but there didn't seem to be any personal preferences to the two on their silent ride. It was merely a device to fill up and to measure time.

Night crept up on them, and silent fireflies glowed softly in the air, buzzing around everywhere. When their boats finally came upon another bend, they were upon several well-lit water homes, simply ordained liked the rest of the wooden shacks they've passed. As they floated closer, everyone jumped in surprise at a disgusted shriek from the front longboat.

"Fuck! It's a fucking big lizard! Keep it away!"

Lupin was the only one who began cracking up, although she was quickly reprimanded to stifle her noise. It was hard to do so, and when she saw the "big lizard" Bishquet had made such an ordeal about, she actually reached out and gave the iguana a pat on the tail. The iguana skittered away quickly and disappeared over the mossy boulder it had clung to moments before. She also heard Jack telling Bishquet to settle down and stop making so much bloody noise.

There were more people in this concentrated area, still as the swamp around them. Some were actually blended so well into the shadows, at first, they seemed like parts of the trees they leaned against or stood beside. The longboats continued their guided floating, the oars dipping into the water, pulling out and then dipping back in. Jack and Marty, at the heads of their longboats, reached for the small dock of one of the glowing little houses, and wound the lines to the fronts of the boats around the dock's stubs. As Jack turned, he said, "No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable, we are. Were. Have been…before."

The confidence in his friend seemed to drop and a cold lump formed in Edward's chest at this alone. This chipped at his own assurance in this mysterious woman and he wordlessly took the ear bud out and handed it back to Lupin before he followed her off the longboat.

"I'll watch your back." He heard Gibbs say.

"It's me front I'm worried about," Jack replied uncertainly.

Gibbs didn't seem to mind this as he turned to Will and told him, "Mind the boat."

Will turned to Bish behind him. "Mind the boat."

She almost protested before glancing at Al. She looked behind him instead and said to Ragetti behind Alphonse, "Mind the boat, would you?"

She followed after Will, Alphonse holding hands with her. Ragetti turned to Pintel without a second thought. "Mind the boat."

Pintel turned behind him to Lupin. "Mind the boat."

In turn, she looked to Edward and asked, "Mind the boat?"

He blinked back his surprise before glancing behind him at tiny Marty. "Mind the boat."

The line passed down from Marty to Mr. Cotton. "Mind the boat."

Mr. Cotton barely seized a muscle to start getting up before his parrot piped up and told him, "Awwk! Mind the boat!"

Then the colorful macaw took off and fluttered off after the line of pirates. Lupin paused when Mr. Cotton's parrot suddenly flew onto the railing and she offered a hand to the bird. He nibbled at her fingers as he stepped on and she winced when his beak pinched her fingers. "Ouch!"

The parrot squawked again before Lupin settled him onto her shoulder, purposely on the right one when she remembered the giant albino snake that would be on her left when she entered. Jack hesitated outside the door, peering in like a hesitant thief—which he was—before creaking the door open carefully and slowly.

A woman looked up from inside, hands hovering above her work on the table she was hunched over and a very wry smile lit up on her face. "Jack Sparrow."

Jack straightened up immediately as her eyes lit up on him and he sauntered into the room, smiling in return as he said affectionately, "Tia Dalma." He almost didn't notice the hanging jar of eyeballs in front of him before he nearly collided with it. He looked at it warily before glancing over at Tia Dalma and she swaggered slowly towards him, one hand picking up the hem of her dress.

"I always knowed de wind was goin' blow you back to me one day." She had a merry laugh, an almost musical tone to her voice, teasing even, as she stepped quite close to Jack. But, she suddenly stopped and looked away from the piratical captain. Her hand drew up and motioned towards the curious William Turner, who had been looking at the strange collection in Tia Dalma's home moments before. "You…" She started, and he looked to her as he slowly approached. "You have a touch of _destiny_ about you…William Turnah."

"You know me?" Will asked, suspicious and alert. Jack looked away from the two, almost a look of fear on his face. Any further words that were to be said were interrupted at a loud shriek, louder than the one with the lizard minutes before. Bish had hidden herself behind Alphonse, muttering between broken bits of Spanish and English. Behind the two, Lupin entered the house—which seemed more like the central grounds for voodoo, in her opinion—and a confused Edward was directly behind her. The wolf quickly intervened for her friend immediately before Alphonse or anyone had a chance to do something. Gently, she pushed Alphonse away and while keeping her left side bare to the large snake, she reached slowly towards the slithering thing and kept a hand on its body, stroking it. It gave no reaction except the flicker of its long, thin forked tongue, moving around on its perch.

Bish let out another disgusted sound and she shuddered, clinging to Alphonse, most likely as a shield than anything.

"Shh, sh, shh, it's okay, Bish. The snake won't harm you, see? I'll keep the baby away from ya."

"That is _not_ a fucking baby, and you know it. It nearly _ate_ me."

Lupin snorted back her laughter while Edward maneuvered himself from the doorway and stepped towards Bishquet, asking of she was alright. Lupin didn't hear the answer, for Mr. Cotton's parrot chose that moment to begin mumbling in her ear of things such as, "Walk the plank! Keelhaul them all!"

"Just keep that fucking thing _away_ from me, all right? I _hate_ snakes." Bish finally muttered darkly, casting one last disgusted look at the animal. The bird danced impatiently on Lupin's shoulder and she gave the calm snake one last stroke along its scales and stepped away, only then realizing she had eyes upon her. Then her breath hitched when she saw Tia Dalma was also looking at her, an amused glint in her eyes and a smile on her face.

Then, with a single laugh, she looked back at Will and continued with him, almost as if nothing had happened, "Do you want t' know me?"

She leaned forward, but Jack had advanced towards the two, a hand dividing Will and Tia Dalma as he stated quite firmly, "There'll be no knowing here. We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." He pulled an arm around Tia Dalma's dainty shoulders and gently led her away, adding, "I thought I knew you."

"Not so well as I had hoped. Come." Tia Dalma had already sauntered her way back to her seat in the back while Jack motioned for the others to follow.

"Come," he repeated, avoiding another collision with yet another bottle. The girls sniggered, earning several glances in their direction. Then the wolf led the way and settled on the opposite side of where Will and Jack had chosen to stand on. Will stepped past Jack and took a seat from one of the few available chairs. Tia Dalma was once again upon him, smiling that wry, knowing smile of hers at him as she stroked her hand and fingers against his cheeks.

"What service may I do you?" She asked with that sly undertone of hers. Then she sharply snapped her gaze back up and forcefully stated to Jack, "You know I demand payment."

He motioned with great delight, "I brought payment." Then he whistled and Pintel brought forth the cage that held Jack the Monkey. The pirate took the cage and produced his gun from his waist, declaring, "Look!" He shot off a round and the monkey screeched indignantly. "An undead monkey!"

The monkey chattered noisily from inside his cage, leaning on one of the sides as Jack placed the cage on Tia's table. He holstered his gun with a giddy challenge of, "Top that."

She twirled the cage round and then released the monkey. Lupin was pulled to the side by Edward as the monkey bounded off onto the floor as Mr. Gibbs protested, "No—!" He winced. "…You've no idear how long it took us to catch that."

Alphonse watched the monkey as it trotted towards the conjoined room besides them. Frowning, he peeled himself from the other three and moved slowly towards the room. He was curious to the sudden muteness of the monkey's constant titters, and why it had only stopped in that room instead of roaming about like it normally did on the _Black_ _Pearl_. Behind him, he heard Tia reply, "The payment is fair."

When he stepped into the small adjoining room, with one last glance behind him, he looked first at the monkey before taking in the rest of the room. He felt his insides drop at the sight of a dead man lying on a cot, the bloom of old blood staining the front of his shirt. His eyes were open, the whites having yellowed, and a blank look on his face. Scraggly hair splayed beneath the worn and faded bandana, which might have been a bright blue when it was newly made, ready for sale. Alphonse swallowed dryly, almost gagging.

Then someone had latched a hand around his mouth and tugged him away. He jolted and turned away, eyes wide as he regarded Lupin, who had been the one to sneak up on him. She didn't even glance at the body inside, nor did she even blink an eye at the bemoaning little monkey staring longingly at the dead man on the cot. "He's—!"

"Dead, I know. Just get out." Lupin cast a glance over her shoulder.

"But—," He began to whisper a protest.

"_Now._" She hissed vehemently, her tone coated with ice and an authoritative manner. The fire in her eyes burned brightly and harshly and they simply said to not even think about arguing with her. Alphonse simply swallowed dryly again. Then he cast another shaky glance at the body behind him, not knowing that it was their very pirate captain who had killed this man with cold-blooded intentions. He did not know of the fight and the struggle to recapture the _Black Pearl_ from the dead man Jack had ensued, nor did he know of the battle between cursed immortals and mere man. All he knew was that a dead man was in this place and the livid wolf before him knew something about it.

Silently, he decided to play his hand with careful consideration and confront her about it. Or should he talk to his brother first? He looked back at the wolf, frowning and he knew that she knew he was burning to interrogate her. But, then he noticed the dark-skinned woman with her frayed, but pretty dress and Cheshire cat grin was behind the wolf. Anyone who stood beside Lupin simply seemed to tower over her, short as she was. She seemed to feel Tia Dalma's presence behind her and then she swiveled with surprise, her icy demeanor disappearing almost immediately and the obeah woman sharply regarded Lupin and then Alphonse. She motioned towards the two.

"Come away from dere, now. I will be wit' you four in de meantime."

The tone hadn't been gentle, but neither had it been rough. It was almost as if she were scolding her children who had been caught with their hands in the mystery cookie jar when they should have waited for dinner. Her eyes trailed over Lupin, Alphonse, Bishquet and Edward's faces slowly. Then she looked back at the former two, motioning for Lupin and Al to come away from the room. Slowly, they stepped away and went back to the others. Lupin had dropped her gaze for a few moments before lifting it back up to look at Tia Dalma. The woman had already turned away from them and was looking at the sketch Will had unfolded onto the table, slowly sitting down in her seat.

She studied it for a moment, then looked at Jack with a smile, realization lighting up her face. Bish cast Lupin and Alphonse curious glances, but neither of them said anything to her. She frowned while Tia Dalma addressed Jack and he replied hesitantly. Then the woman smiled and had that teasing, laughing melody to her voice once more.

"I hear you," She grinned as she moved her seat closer to the table and she propped her arm upon the table. "Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants!"

Jack stared away from the woman, merely looking at the feathered hat in his hands and he vaguely wondered where he's seen it before. Then he tossed it back down without a word or second thought, while Tia continued, "Aor, do you know, but ahr loath to claim it as your own?"

In reply, Jack merely blew the tail of one of the many odd objects that stood against his face, hanging from the ceiling.

"Your key go to a chest." She leaned back in her seat. "And it is what lay inside de chest you seek. Don't it?"

Curiosity lined the Edward's face, while his brother's remained troubled. Bish was frowning, and Lupin's face was blank as her mind, unwilling to obey her command of blanking itself out, continued to prattle the words that everyone would recite ahead of time. Hopeful, yet somewhat blank stares emanated from Pintel and Ragetti, while Mr. Gibbs asked, "What is inside?"

"Gold?" Pintel furthered, excitement dripping from his words alone. "Jewels? Unclaimed properties of valuable nature?"

"A way home?" Bish added thoughtfully, glancing at Pintel, who was staring at another jar of eyeballs that were hanging from the ceiling.

"Nothing…_bad_, I hope."

Tia Dalma looked at them and asked, "You know of...Davy Jones, yes?"

Lupin's heart thumped harder. A voice behind her made her jump in her excitement and anxiety.

"Isn't he some old sea legend?" Edward questioned, almost condescendingly. Lupin winced. Tia Dalma regarded him carefully before answering him.

"He was a man of de sea…a great sailah…" She glanced at Edward pointedly, then back at the three men at the front of her table. "Until he run afoul of dat which vexes ahll men."

While Tia Dalma spoke, Jack had placed a little treasure into his coat pocket, glancing over his shoulder just in case.

"What vexes all men?" Will asked quietly with genuine curiosity, a vague smile on his face. Tia smiled and shifted her hand to gently clasp at his.

"What, indeed?" She asked back.

"Well, the sea." Mr. Gibbs answered promptly.

"Going home." Bish jumped in, stating it in a matter of fact voice.

"Sums." Pintel replied.

"The dichotomy of good and evil."

This earned several stares of incredulity from Mr. Gibbs, Pintel, and surprisingly Bish and Edward. Bish shook her head slowly, brows knit in confusion as she mouthed under her breath, "What the fuck?"

"A woman." Jack finally piped up, looking at them.

They all turned to look at Jack, but then eyes returned to Tia Dalma as she responded in agreement, "A woman, he fell in love."

"No, no, no, no, I heard it was the _sea_ he fell in love with." Mr. Gibbs countered.

Tia Dalma waved it off. "Same story, diff'rent versions, and _ahll_ _are_ _true_. See, it was a _woman_ as changing and harsh, and untamable as de sea. Him never stop loving 'er. But, de pain it cause him was too much to live wit'. But not enough to cause him to die."

"What," Will began, "exactly is inside he put into the chest?"

Tia Dalma smiled kindly at Will as she placed a hand over her chest. "Him heart."

"Literally, or figuratively?" Ragetti pressed, to which Pintel answered promptly, "'E couldn't lit'rally put 'is heart in a chest…could 'e?"

Edward stepped up on the ball and stonily intruded, "You need a heart to live. You can't just take it and lock it away in a chest."

Tia Dalma looked at him once more and almost venomously, for a split moment. She looked around before answering him, "An' what would you know of love, Edwahd Elric? Have you evah loved a woman so much that it near break you? And besides your mothah?"

He tensed almost immediately and regarded her with such a cold and stony glare, he almost threw himself towards her to shake answers he wanted out of her. Instead, he felt his muscles and his limbs weigh him down, refusing to budge while his chest harshly constricted and he swallowed dryly. Alphonse had acted in an almost similar way, but he had been the one who asked shakily, "How do you know about our mother?"

The obeah woman cast a softer and kinder gaze towards the younger Elric brother as she answered quite gently, "In due time, Alphonse Elric. I shall speak wit' you as soon as I am finished wit' Jack Sparrow and William Turnah."

He shifted, almost as if exhausted from hearing the answer and Bish cast him and his brother worried glances. Lupin had remained glued on Tia Dalma, although Bish saw her shaking slightly. She reached over and gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze and the wolf finally glanced at her, although there was no thankful smile. Only fear and worry in those blue-gray eyes.

Tia turned back to the men, and she stated clearly, "It was not wort' feeling what small, fleeting joy life brings." Lupin swallowed, feeling the harsh cruelty in Tia's next words as she cruelly continued, "And so, him _carve out him heart_, lock it away in a chest, and hide de chest from de world." She looked to the sketch on the table before looking back up. "De key, he keep wit' him at _ahll_ _times_."

Will stood up and confronted Jack, staring past the swinging bottle between them. "You knew this."

"I did _not_. I didn't know where the key was. But now we do. So, all that's left is to climb aboard the _Flying Dutchman_, grab the key, and you go back to Port Royal to save your bonnie lass, aye?" He snapped his fingers with a grin and moved to turn away, intent on leaving now that he had all the information he needed. Tia Dalma did not allow him that leisure. She stood and held out her arm to Jack.

"Let me see your hand."

Eyes fell upon Jack as he froze in his spot, before slowly turning and shuffling forward, offering his left hand to the woman. Gently, she plucked his fingers into her own, and then began to unwind the strip of cloth from his hand. During this, Will observed carefully, while Jack chose to only watch from the corner of his eye. Everyone else, however, chose to lean in, just as curious as Will was. Then the last strip was pulled away.

Gibbs gasped sharply and uttered in a terrified manner, "The Black Spot!"

Quickly, he brushed at his chest with short motions, before turning round on his spot and spitting in front of him. Afraid of looking stupid and not in the know of what the Black Spot was, Pintel and Ragetti both mimicked Gibbs' alarming cry.

"Black Spot!"

"Black Spot!"

They brushed at their chests, twirled around, and spit ahead of them, just as Gibbs had done. Jack, however, did not seem to be quite as alarmed as the other three and he lightly stated, "My eyesight's as good as ever, just so you know."

He smiled charmingly as Tia Dalma had shuffled towards the back of her home, muttering, "I have just de t'ing, now where did I put it?"

Things crashed, metal on metal, and were pushed aside, rummaged through and generally disturbed from their places as Tia Dalma diligently went through her trinkets and collected baubles. While she was in the back, questioning eyes trailed after her, while Jack picked up a ring from the desk, next to a crab-and-heart locket. He paid no heed to this one, only interested in the ring he just pinched. Tia Dalma continued speaking to no one in particular, other than herself in the back.

The inquisitive eyes continued to stare longingly after the woman, wondering what lay in the back, and what she was looking for. In the next room, Jack the Monkey made a soft cry. Alphonse blinked at the sound, glancing at the entrance merely a few feet away from him and he shuddered, reminded of the dead man laying in there. His brother cast him a curious yet piercing gaze, but as he was about to ask what was the matter, Tia Dalma came back.

"Davy Jones cannot make port, cannot step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. And so you will carry land wit' you."

What she presented Jack with all seriousness, was a jar of dirt, of all things. Momentarily forgetting his brother's odd shiver, he stared at it, incredulous. He thought quietly to himself, _These people really _are_ superstitious, aren't they?_

Jack hesitantly took the jar of dirt from the obeah woman and hefted it in his hands.

"…Dirt." He stated plainly with a pause. "This is a jar of dirt."

"Yes." She answered.

"Is the…jar of dirt going to help?"

"If you don' want it, give it back."

Jack seized the moment to hug the jar of dirt protectively to him, almost like a child with a favorite toy. "No."

She smiled. "Den it helps."

Suspiciously, he clasped it closer and shifted slightly away from the others, regarding them warily.

"It seems," Will began slowly. "We have a need to find the _Flying Dutchman_."

Gracefully, Tia Dalma sat down and smiled, gathering a cluster of crab claws in her hands. As she shook them gently in her hands and then splayed them on the table, she remarked, "A touch…of _destiny_."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

…**I was so right. This was a long chapter. Damn! :O**

**Can I honestly say I simply **_**love**_** Tia Dalma's accent? It's like the awesome sauce of epic win. It pawns just about everyone, although Jack always has that first-place spot because he's like Uncle Iroh: he may sometimes get down, but he ain't ever out for the count. He bounces back and pawns everybody. x3**

**Anyways, for anyone who had possible trouble understanding, I apologize, but I wanted to try my hand at Tia Dalma's accent and pin it as accurately as I could. It was fun and I don't think I'll want to stop. x3 **

**So, next chapter, we'll be dealing with the girls and the Elric brothers! And, most likely, we'll be moving in towards more social time and questions between them all, so Davy Jones and his creepy crew of fish-men will be later on. **

**Reviews are epic and they shall be rewarded with cyber cookies and brownies. :D**


	42. Classified

**Classified**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**Heeheehee01**

**DontMezWitMe**

**Yaoiluvr**

**Lizzy Lou**

**Shinzochi**

**Silentmoondemon**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Thinking up dialogue between Lupin, Bish, Ed and Al with Tia Dalma was difficult. Also, drawing out everything was a pain as well. (dies)**

**Also, **_**Kanika**_**…Jesus-fucking-Christ, another review that made my day. Or, night, whatever works. xD To **_**HeeHeeHee01**_**, your questions will be answered…when the chapters present themselves accordingly. X3 I know, I'm cruel, but it'd be no fun to just explain in one commentary about what's going to happen. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_The higher the classification [of secrecy], the quicker you will report it.  
_**- George P. Shultz**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Jack was still clutching his dirt protectively as he ordered everyone to prepare to leave. In the middle of the preparation, the four that had begun their journey with the eccentric pirate captain a mere few months ago, stayed behind. It wasn't until Jack himself turned to leave that Tia Dalma addressed him directly.

"Jack Sparrow, I want you to wait outside until I am done wit' dese four."

When Tia Dalma had declared this to the pirate, Jack stopped and the others did as well. Following his example, they turned shortly after he did to peer at Tia Dalma. Jack's lips twitched. "Well, I thought I'd just leave them in your personal and exceptionally thoughtful care. I promised 'em that much when they signed aboard my ship nigh a few months ago. So, if you'll excuse us—,"

He made to leave again, but Tia Dalma stopped him in his tracks with her commanding voice.

"You _will_ wait until I am finished, Jack Sparrow, or de consequences will far outweigh de benefits on your journey later on."

Jack glanced at the obeah woman before another twitch caught his mouth. He sighed heavily and waved to the four. "Fine, fine. We have a schedule to keep, however, so be quick with them, would you?"

Before the small group of four knew it, the pirates and William in tow were gone, gathering with cluttered voices into the longboats outside. Tia Dalma settled comfortably in her chair, staring carefully over each of their faces. There was silence in the shack for a long while, except for the shuffling of Mr. Cotton's parrot, still on Lupin's shoulder, and Jack the Monkey's mewling from the next room over.

They shifted uncomfortably in the pit of silence, voices wanting to sound off and plead for help home. But even Bishquet's voice, who had been boldly voicing her want to return earlier, had finally died down. She merely stared impatiently around, bouncing between Tia Dalma, Lupin, and then the boys. Tia Dalma shifted once before she spoke in a solemn and careful voice.

"I cannot help you. Any of you, to return home."

The tension held fast with everyone at those sudden words. It took moments for the shock to sink in, but Edward had recovered the quickest.

"You don't even know what we were going to ask help with from you. How could you possibly know what we want?" He growled out, scowling at the woman. Tia remained unaffected and patiently regarded him, almost as though she were biding her time. However, her snappish tone betrayed what her face did not.

"My methods are of _no_ _concern_ to you, Edwahd Elric. What I'm telling you now is dat I cannot help you. At least…not in my current state." She replied in such a clipped tone, it was hard to believe the woman's calm face and posture could ever reply in such a harsh fashion. But, then they noticed the quietly smoldering dark brown eyes and the light knitting of her brow and Edward fell silent, blinking back his surprise.

"How do you know my name? I never told you it." He said quietly. Tia Dalma smiled patiently, like a mother about to explain something difficult to a child.

"Try asking de right questions, Edwahd Elric."

Then her eyes flit between Lupin and Bishquet, but they remained the longest on the wolf. "She could probably give you the most answers. But…you must not dismiss what you may hea' from her in order to believe what is to lay before you."

Edward turned to look at them, but then he noticed the guilty look that seemed to emanate the most from the wolf. Even when she avoided his gaze, he could sense it. He frowned, looking back at Tia Dalma. "What're you getting at?"

Her gaze remained locked on the wolf and Bish shifted uncomfortably before placing a hand on Lupin's shoulder. "Hun?"

"She knowed all along who I am and nevah told you. Probably wit' good reason, too. You've got a hard mind, Edwahd Elric. An' de same could be said for you, Alphonse Elric." Tia Dalma continued. Lupin trembled on her spot before looking up sharply at the woman.

Her chin wobbled slightly before she uttered, "Calypso."

Tia Dalma grinned that Cheshire cat grin at Lupin and she leaned further back into her chair, elbow propped up on the arm of the chair. She laughed quietly.

"Very good. Very good indeed, Lupahn."

Lupin didn't smile. Bish finally found her voice and regarded the obeah woman warily.

"Look, we came a really long way to get here. And when I mean long, I mean surviving hurricanes, crossing oceans with pirates, running from the British Navy and hiding from cannibals, long. _Can_ you or _can't_ you help us?"

"I've already told you, I can't help you. Not in my _current_ state."

Before Bishquet could ask of anything more, Alphonse spoke up his piece. "What do you mean by 'current state'?" He was afraid of asking any more, concerned that it might be a delicate subject. His mind flashed back to Izumi Curtis and he briefly wondered if that was what she meant by 'current state': a state like his former alchemy teacher's. Instead she laughed at his question and stood, motioning to Lupin once more.

"She knowed all of de answers to your questions and you nevah ask her? Were you afraid of what she had to say? Aor…were you afraid she be mad wit' what she _might_ say?"

Alphonse looked to Lupin and the wolf continued to stare at the ground. Her pride in knowing anything about this place had long ago been snuffed out, almost as soon—or perhaps, even before—they arrived on the island of the Pelegostos. Her hopes had been riding upon getting home when they came to Tia Dalma. But, the implements of doubt had been sowed long ago.

Too many "what if" scenarios began to plant those seeds and in time, they rotted and festered deep in the back of her mind. She thought more on this than Bish had, but only because of her "extensive" knowledge of this place, of the people, and their backgrounds. The biggest concern, mostly the _center_ of concern, was what if Tia Dalma couldn't help them?

And now it had become reality. Something told her, as they had approached hours ago in the longboats, deep down that Tia Dalma really couldn't help them. Her faith, like her pride, had shattered like glass and was promptly blown out by the cold wind of harsh reality. She could only stand there and hear this. She had no voice to speak up and implore for more information.

The shifting of a frayed dress spilled into view, bare feet only just visible and Lupin looked up slowly, not jumping in surprise like she would have in the past. Tia Dalma looked down at the girl before placing gently hands on the young woman's shoulders.

"She knowed all de answers you seek, an' yet you come to me. If I weren't so bound, I'd be sending you off home, where you rightfully belong. Aor, maybe I wouldn't, depends on how my mood, like de sea, will be from time to time. But maybe you should listen to her first, before you come back wit' questions from me. Go now. Witty Jack is waiting for you."

"Why?" Lupin finally asked. Tia Dalma paused, her hands having just lifted away. Her voice cracked as she stared, finally with that imploring look in her eyes. "Why are you sending us away?"

The obeah woman blinked at her, then smiled that teasing smile of hers as she gently stroked her fingertips against the wolf's weatherworn cheeks. "You know why. An' if your friends will listen, maybe they'll soon learn to believe an' know why too."

Then she turned away abruptly and stepped towards the room with the mewling, bemoaning little monkey, but stopped in the doorway. "Oh, an', keep Bahbossa a secret from Jack Sparrow and William Turnah. No use in having some help if it all spoiled, now is it?"

Tia Dalma left them with the final sweep of her dress without a farewell, cajoling gently instead to the mourning monkey in the room with the dead body of Hector Barbossa.

When it seemed evident that Tia Dalma had effectively ended the discussion, the four turned and slowly sauntered out of her home. Down the little steps and walkway they went. Lupin had wordlessly handed Mr. Cotton his parrot back, and the bird settled precariously on the old gentleman's shoulder, trilling quietly and looking to and fro in the dark.

The long and arduous trip back to the _Black Pearl_ had been a painfully quiet one. Edward had remained stony with his silence. Alphonse had chosen distance in his, and in dismay from the riddled words Tia Dalma had given them all. The brothers chose to sit in the first longboat back, leaving the girls to sit in the second longboat. Occasionally, when they paid enough attention, the two young women noticed one of the two brothers looking back at Lupin. Edward was usually scowling and Bish knew why he was doing such a thing, although she didn't appreciate the targeted stares he was giving her friend.

Was it really Lupin's fault for having been a geek for several years over the _Pirates_ movies?

…Well, maybe. Kind of…sort of, maybe just a little bit it was. Not really.

But what could prove useful had done decently for them so far… Or at the very least, it would have, if spaces in the wolf's memories, as well as bitter forgetfulness or indefinite concern for everyone and anything around them left everything worse for wear. Stopping to think things fully through were a luxury now and Lupin couldn't spare herself that particular comfort anymore. She had been depending, perhaps more than everyone else, for help from the bound sea goddess. Now that they had been turned away, Bish could almost feel that slowly breaking Lupin. She had been hoping with great faith that Tia Dalma could help them…

It was extremely late when they all settled on the _Black Pearl_. Jack didn't have his ship sail off straight away and instead declared they'd leave before the first light of dawn. Afterwards, he had called the four out-of-place young women and men to his cabin. He gave brief condolences, and told them they could remain on his ship or return to a port when they landed on an island where they could all somehow barter safe passage somewhere else.

The Elric brothers had been clipped and brief in their answers. The girls had been no better. Then they were dismissed and they separated for their rest. Little to no words had been exchanged between them all. That prickly anxiety had remained, and there it would stay until they could all speak with one another without using simple monosyllable words as forms of communication.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I want answers."

Edward had no bowl. Lupin dropped the ladle back into the slop of food on the greasy grill and she studied his face. She was haggard from receiving no sleep last night. She had tossed and turned relentlessly, and only dozed off a few times, simply to wake not long after. Momentarily, she lowered her gaze, but then mentally berated herself and lifted her eyes back up to meet Edward's. Then she nodded slowly, already preparing herself for what she should say, how she might explain everything, and try to convince Edward it was all true.

"I know." She nodded several times more. "I know you do."

He took the ladle from her hand, still poised over the pot and leaned it on the other side. Then he took her wrist and led her away. She didn't resist and instead silently trotted behind him. She knew if she weren't still trying to process everything from last night and if she weren't so tired, she probably would have been offended at the way he was giving her such a gruff attitude. She might have yelled at him, or at least jeered at his crude behavior. She knew she'd probably give him a curse or two before taking her own hand back. But now wasn't the time for petty squabbles, or even mockery.

It was mostly because, besides her focus on how to explain what to the Elric brothers, she was also worried about the eventual and impending meeting of Davy Jones. Maybe it was a day away, or even several hours away. It was, however, something unavoidable now.

They gathered at the bow of the forecastle, away from prying ears, only just visible if one was to look for them around the crates and the cannons in the small corner to the right. Bish was sitting on a large crate, looking at her feet. Alphonse met with Edward and Lupin on their way. Lupin gave the young man a glance. She couldn't read his face very well and he finally gave a slight, perhaps even anxious, frown at her. She blinked and looked away, still trying to figure out what to say.

When they all had settled into more comfortable positions, found makeshift seats and chairs, they waited. Bish glanced at Lupin and gave her a faint, encouraging smile. Lupin already had her lie figured out, with some bits of truths interlaced. _Let's try to get through this without stoking the fiery tempers that would make hell pale in comparison._

She cleared her throat, already starting to feel slightly better. She could finally tell some truth to the boys. It would be in the cover of a lie, but she felt lighter knowing that they wouldn't be as much in the dark as they used to be.

"I know you have questions…and I want to answer them. I really do." She started. She glanced over Edward and Alphonse's faces, and Al nodded.

"First off…I wanna know what that woman meant when she said you had all the answers." Edward promptly remarked, almost patiently. Lupin sensed he was trying to keep his own temper in check.

"I've been…trying to come to an answer for that myself. Why I…left you in the dark." Lupin hesitated before continuing, "I really wasn't sure you'd even believe me."

"How do you think she knew our names…and Will's name, before she even met us?" Alphonse added. Lupin glanced at Bishquet and her friend pursed her lips.

"I…don't know. Perhaps with her being an obeah woman?" Lupin felt that explanation weak and she saw the dissatisfaction cross Ed's face, but curiosity on Al's.

"Obeah?" Al repeated. Lupin nodded.

"It's…something that came from Africa, when Africans were brought here, as slaves. It's…I know you'll think it utterly ridiculous, but it's…voodoo. Magic. She's a magic woman, basically." It sounded cheesy and so corny when she tried to explain it like that, but she knew it was true.

"HA!" Edward laughed. "Magic? There's no such thing." Then he paused, reverting back to a serious state. "And what exactly does she plan on doing with that dead body you and Al were staring at last night?"

She swallowed, then glanced at Alphonse. "You told him," she sighed. He nodded, watching her carefully. Then she hesitated again, almost regretting she thought of trying to explain any of this. "She…she plans on reviving him. Bringing him back from the dead."

The sound of crunching wood made her wince and she finally saw Edward's anger fuming. Around his right fist, the crate he was seated on had caved in and splintered horribly and he glared at her. "That's not possible. Bringing someone back from the dead is not possible!"

Lupin suddenly felt her own anger rear up and flare. She balled up her fists at her side, clenched her jaw and hissed, "Don't get pissed off at me. I'm just the messenger, got it?"

His fierce look remained, but he finally sat back. "How do you know all of this?"

She took a deep breath and calmed herself as best she could. Slowly, she let out the breath she had been holding and pursed her lips before answering, "Books are often where I get my information from. And, sometimes, I watch Discovery and Science channel. A lot. They had specials on pirates and their superstitions. And there was a…a documentary on a woman called Tia Dalma who called herself Calypso, the goddess of the sea." Lupin licked her lips. That was it. There was no turning back now. "And then they had a documentary or two on Davy Jones later on, about the legend of Davy Jones, actually. I also…read a lot of books, on-on pirates, and sea legends and this other stuff, growing up. Most of it was historical crap and other was fictional stuff just to satisfy my curiosity, ya know?"

"So, what does this have to do exactly with our situation?" Alphonse asked her. She glanced at him.

"I read this one particular story…about how a sailor named Davy Jones fell in love with the sea. He was charged with taking care of the lost souls of those who died at sea to pass on. It…was the price to pay for loving the embodiment of the sea. It was to be for ten years and he was allowed one day at shore to be with Calypso, but…" She licked her lips, dithering slightly. "But she didn't wait for him. He tore out his heart and locked it away in a chest. Then he commissioned pirates to help bound Calypso to a human form, so that humans could conquer the sea without interference. And so that he could steal sailors' souls without being hindered by Calypso."

"You're saying we're in a story? And that everything around us, everything you know, is based off a _story?_" Disbelief and anger spread over Edward's face but another warning glare from the young woman and he unwillingly backed off. She took another calming breath before continuing.

"Not…exactly." Lupin faltered in her answer. "I don't know anymore. I'm just…trying to keep us together…and figure this all out."

Edward frowned deeply.

"And Jack?" Alphonse pressed.

"Books. Mostly books. A strange pirate, they called him. Sailed a ship called the _Black Pearl_. His ship was found sunken somewhere off the coast of Jamaica, and all the artifacts recovered were placed in a museum somewhere in the United States. I don't remember where, though. Somewhere on the East Coast, I believe."

"I never heard of this, and we were on the east coast before all of this." Edward grumbled. Lupin smiled, still weaving her truth in the lies.

"It wasn't found until the late nineties, early two-thousands, that's why."

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Alphonse asked; sounding almost disappointed with the wolf. She frowned and her shoulders fell.

"I…I didn't know if you'd have believed me. Especially the Tia Dalma part."

Edward sat still for a long time, his eyes cast down and full of frothing thought. Alphonse had a similar, almost striking resemblance to his brother. Lupin looked to Bish, who for the longest time had remained quiet. The wolf swallowed thickly and Bish met her eyes and she gave Lupin another encouraging smile, but said nothing. Lupin smiled a little back, studying her friend before looking back at the boys.

Ed brought his gaze back up to the wolf and he studied her long and hard before speaking once more. "What does Tia Dalma really plan on doing with that body she had?"

"She plans on bringing him—,"

"And don't tell me that crap! You can't bring the dead back!" He yelled.

It grew quiet and Lupin stared for the longest time. Finally she dropped her gaze, shaking her head.

"Fine. You win. We'll just go with what you have to say." She shrugged listlessly. Then she stood, although Bish reached for Lupin.

"Loopy, don't. Please, just…sit down and let's just talk, okay? Please? For me?"

The wolf merely paused at her friend's soft request for her to sit down. Lupin wordlessly shook her off. Edward was up in a moment, out of burning curiosity and in the frustration that he knew Lupin was holding back more information than she was willing to tell. When he had a hold on her arm, she immediately jerked away before he got better grapple on her and she waved her hands at him.

"No, just…don't. Okay? Please, just don't. I'm-I'm done. I'm done fighting, I'm done arguing, I'm just, done. I've been trying to…keep us together, and uh, I guess I can't really do a good job at doing even that. And," She sniffed, her eyes brimming with tears, eyes glazed over. "I'm just done. I can't do this anymore. I can't go home, I can't see my family again. I just…I'm done. I'm through."

With a few slow tears finally sliding down her cheeks, Lupin turned away and left them as quickly as she could, not once turning back to look at them. It seemed like she had said, she was done with it all.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Finally, a short chapter all those big chapters, yikes! **


	43. Reason

**Reason**

**Reviewers: **

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Yaoiluvr**

**Shinzochi**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Hallow Mashiro**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**Dontmezwitme**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Decided to upload this early.**

**I thought that we should have some interaction and dialogue between Lupin and Alphonse. Hardly get to see any of that, although I will say that they do talk behind screens; I just don't show it enough. D: **

**Also, in regards to _Mashiro_****'s review, I would simply like to say that while Calypso could give more advice, she isn't always straightforward. Besides, her cryptic messages are more interesting than being blunt about it. x3 **

**Oh, in regards to Ed's behavior to Lupin...yeah, I know. He's being a jerk. He's also stressed. Things'll get better between the two of them, but not in a happy-go-lucky sort of turnabout. Give him a break as much as Loopy is getting now.**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Dr. House: **_Time changes everything.  
**Eve: **__It's what people say; it's not true. Doing things changes things; not doing things leaves things exactly as they are.  
**- Dr. House and Eve, House M.D. ("One Day, One Room")**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He found her in the sparrow's nest. It was, by default, lower than the crow's nest, to be sure, and bigger, too. He had twice mistaken this place as the crow's nest before Marty, the devilish little man, had booted him out of it on his second time up there. "_This isn't the crow's nest, it's on the next mast over, ya filthy dog!_"

Alphonse hadn't appreciated the insult that followed, but it was a regular occurrence amongst the men on the _Black Pearl_. The pirates would shout insults at one another, calling each other filthy dogs, yeasty codpieces, threaten one another with keelhauling or a month in the brig and so much more. Some of the insults were surprisingly creative, as strange as he thought of it. However, Mr. Gibbs and Jack seemed to hold the most authority over the men, so whatever the other men threatened to one another, most likely than not, never happened in the end.

Carefully, he pulled himself up to level with the sparrow's nest, the platform just big enough for two people, perhaps three if they were all squashed together, or were tinier than the average person. She hadn't noticed his approach, and if she had, she'd effectively shut out his presence out and merely stared out over the open waters as the _Pearl_ sailed on, her gaze fixated out over the bowsprit. It wasn't until he saw the wirings in her ear that he realized she had shut out the wind and the sound of the surf as well. He thumped the wood with his hand and that got her attention.

One little ear headphone popped out and she regarded him, her face having been wiped clean of any traces of when she had been crying. He smiled disarmingly at her, and asked if he was allowed aboard. He tried cracking the humor for her but it didn't seem to work. She simply shrugged at him and went back to resetting her gaze out past the bowsprit. He took her shrug as an answer and settled beside her in a comfortable position, for the both of them at least.

For a while, they both sat in the silence Lupin had been in, listening to either music or to the sound of the men working below. Lupin, however, had kept the earphone she plucked out of her ear in her hand and she constantly fiddled with it. When the peace gradually turned into a sense of awkwardness, Al cleared his throat and he was given a glance. At least it was a form of acknowledgement.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier, brother, he—,"

He was swiftly cut off before he could even finish. Surprised, he fell silent.

"Don't apologize."

For a brief second, Alphonse almost felt that there had been an unclear animosity to her comment. Lupin looked to him, blinked, and then sighed.

"It's not anyone's fault. Not mine, not Jack's, not yours, not anyone's. We're…stuck. In a room, with no way out. We're stuck in a room, with people, everyday. It's infectious." She paused briefly and fiddled with the iPod clipped at her belt loop. "We can't help what people we get stuck with when we're in that room. So don't go apologizing for something you didn't do wrong."

The riddle she had interrupted him with had boggled him and for a brief moment, Alphonse didn't know how to reply to that. He merely watched her indecisively, wanting to say something, but not able to find the right words. He didn't have to answer, though, when Lupin continued after a minute of silence.

"I was…hoping she could help us. Guess I built up the faith too much and…crashed and burned. But…when she said current state…" Then she placed a hand over her mouth, staring down at her knees in hard concentration; a look Alphonse rarely saw on anyone except his brother. "She said 'current' state. That must mean…bound. She's bound, she said. That means she'd need to be _unbound_ if we needed any help from her on getting home. So, if we're able to unbound her, then we could all go home…"

"But wasn't the story about Calypso…really just a story?" He ventured carefully and Lupin looked at him plainly, a frown crossing her features.

"Apparently not, because she answered to Calypso."

He was the one who frowned this time. "Who was that man she's going to bring back?"

He saw the fire in her eyes spark up at his interest and for once she didn't seem so forcefully guarded. "You believe me?"

"No." Al stated firmly before adding quietly, "Not exactly. I mean…it's not possible. But I want to know who he is."

She looked away and went back to fiddling the iPod earphone for a while, her lips pursed.

"Captain Hector Barbossa." Lupin finally answered. "He's the man who stole Jack's ship and had it for ten years."

Then she paused and looked up through the thick lines and the shrouds, frowning. "I have a question." She started, glancing at him. "You'll believe in the little monkey, Jack, in being an undead monkey. Something that's been shot at multiple times and hasn't died, but you won't believe in a dead man being brought back to life?"

He was taken aback by the question and he stared, blinking several times at Lupin. The question had been harshly thrown at him, and he was still reeling by it. It also made him stop and think. Why was it he's more willing to believe the undead monkey to be undead, but doubted a questionable woman of questionable powers and identity to bring back a man from the dead? Was it because he could see the undead monkey, revealed only in the moonlight of its skeletal and rotting form? Or was it because where he and his brother failed in bringing back their mother, the prospect of someone else, using unknown means to bring someone back from the dead might actually succeed? Was he jealous? Alphonse didn't respond for the longest of time, unable to answer Lupin's question without asking hundreds more in his mind. Quietly, the time slipped by them both as he focused more on the question Lupin asked him instead of his own. Finally, however, he gave a resigned sigh and looked at her, almost imploringly for the answer from herself.

"I don't know. I can see the monkey, when it's nighttime, where it's not…alive. It never eats, it never seems to sleep and it's…there. And maybe it's…because where my brother and I failed…Tia Dalma might succeed."

Lupin studied him for a lengthy time, almost as if searching his face, trying to see whether he was telling the truth or not. She sat back after a while and stared at her hand, subconsciously fiddling away with the earphone. She sighed deeply, as if she had been holding her breath.

"I have a feeling…something bad is going to happen." She stated. "And I don't want us splitting up." She reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He stared at her, surprised before he saw it looked like she was going to cry again. "Please. Whatever happens…we can't split up."

Another squeeze. Her voice cracked. Her eyes glistened and searched him, pleadingly. For a moment, he stared before he understood. If they still had any chances to take, it was staying together. If there was still hope, there might still be a chance with Tia Dalma. He didn't have all the answers, and like his brother he wanted them, but somehow he felt that same faith from Lupin and Bishquet growing in him. He knew that the woman could help them, but it was the question of if she would. Alphonse gave Lupin's hand a squeeze in return and nodded, hoping he was giving her the reassurance and the answer she needed.

She hugged him and sniffed. He returned it, giving her shoulder a rub. "What're we doing now? Where're we going?"

"I don't know. I remember from the men shouting down there, that we're going after the _Flying Dutchman_." He paused. "You know any stories on that ship?"

He tried to laugh, but it came out sounding somewhat hollow, although he was thankful Lupin didn't seem to mind at this. She laughed as well, quietly before pulling back and resettling in her space, and let him be in his.

"It's a ship that sails against the winds, I heard. And Davy Jones controls a sea monster called the Kraken. It's huge enough to drag ships down and apparently, has the rotting breath of a thousand corpses."

Alphonse shuddered.

"So I've heard. Brother told me about what Mr. Gibbs told you and him yesterday. It doesn't sound…possible."

"Neither is ripping out your heart and sailing the seas as an immortal."

"Good point." He smiled slightly. "So, what else is there to this legend? You seem to know an awful lot about this stuff. More than what you've ever told us."

Lupin smiled crookedly. "Books. You can never have enough books. And I liked pirates. A lot. And I did a lot of research. I remember…reading about the two most vicious women pirates in all of history. Mary Reed and Anne Bonny. Vicious fighters and best friends that sailed under Captain Calico Jack."

Alphonse let out a snicker at that. Again she gave a crooked smile, staring wistfully into the horizon. Clouds were gathered in the distance, dark and angry-looking, unlike the white ones that floated listlessly above in the clear blues of the endless skies. Alphonse ventured it would be another stormy night they'd have to survive, but perhaps it would not be as bad as the last ones they've encountered in the past.

"I never imagined I'd be on a pirate ship, not in a million years."

"Neither did I. I don't think Bish or brother did, either."

She shook her head and glanced at him. "No…no, I don't suppose any of us did. But then again, most people who do become pirates probably never suspected it either. Guess we're all in the same boat, no pun intended."

He laughed at this. She didn't take long to join.

For a while, they continued to talk with one another, more relaxed and at ease with each other. They never seemed to have returned to the subject on the legend of Davy Jones, but Alphonse didn't really mind as much. It felt calming to just talk and let whatever subject that trots on by to snag at it and then move onto the next subject. It wasn't until the bell clanged below after a while, signaling another hour passed and Lupin paused at the last toll before realizing she needed to get started working on dinner. He offered to help her and she briefly considered this, smiled and then nodded, accepting. They climbed down and went below decks and with a lighter air between the two of them, began working on dinner for the tense, hardworking men above.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The rains came heavy and hard. The warmth of it all pelted everyone in thick sheets, thunder bellowing across the dark skies while the lightning spiked off in the distance, illuminating the ocean's churning surface. The _Black Pearl_ was once more moored off in the shallower of waters, and in the distance, crags of sharp rocks and jutting reefs lay in the middle of the ocean, the jagged edges illuminated with each strike of lightning. Lying helplessly on top of the crags was a ship. It was in such a sorry state; it would have probably been an act of mercy to simply let the thing sink to the bottom of the sea, in deeper waters.

The men were gathered on deck, ignoring their soaked limbs, watching out towards the lifeless shell of a ship. It seemed abandoned enough, helpless enough to raid. Edward was unimpressed, and he was not the only one. William, when he saw the thing, was dubious at its appearance. The two men had stood side by side, staring long and hard at the broken ship. Edward frowned deeply, something nagging at him at the back of his head. Something was off, terribly off and he didn't know what, but he _knew_ it was troublesome.

Beside him, Will turned round to stare at Jack Sparrow and Mr. Gibbs, remarking in an unimpressed tone, "_That's_ the _Flying Dutchman_?"

If Edward himself had turned around, he would have noted the nervous look on Mr. Gibbs's face, and the calculating indifference on Jack's face. Instead, he stared out hard and clear, trying to discern if there really was any danger on that ship. He heard Bishquet sneeze somewhere behind him and finally he glanced over to find the girls and his brother huddled close together in the rain. He frowned again.

"She doesn't look like much."

Edward snorted. "She looks vulnerable and unimpressive. I don't think there's much to expect from that ship."

Once more, if Edward had turned around, he would have seen the apprehensive look Lupin was giving him, and perhaps, even the ship out yonder. If he could also read thoughts, he would have been suspicious at her quiet thoughts of _It's _not_ the _Flying Dutchman and_ Don't go, please, don't go; you'll only get captured like Will._

"Neither do the pair of you." Jack remarked glibly behind them. Ed gave the man a silently vehement glare, but said nothing as the man settled on the other side of Will. "Do _not_ underestimate her."

Gibbs suddenly remarked hurriedly moments later, "Must've run afoul of the reef."

"So what's yer plan then?"

"I row over, search the ship until I find your bloody key."

Edward knit his brows together. It sounded like a plan. The ship itself didn't look that big, but he suspected once Will got there…it'd be too big a ship to search. He might need help.

"And if there're crewman?" Jack pressed.

"I cut down anyone in my path." Will replied before he stepped away.

Jack simply stated in reply, "I like it. Simple, easy to remember."

Edward followed after Will, giving the girls and his brother a glance. They followed him with their eyes, curious, but he then turned away from them.

"Will," he called. Will turned and looked to Edward. The man gave him a slightly quizzical look.

"Dunno if you remember me. Edward Elric." He held his hand out to Will and the man took it.

"I do. William Turner."

"I'm coming with you."

The demand took Will by surprise and his hand loosened in Edward's.

"You can't."

"I can and I will, and if I have to beat some sense into you to do it, then I will. Look," he started, motioning out towards the ship, run above the rocks and reefs. "When you get over there, it'll too big for just you to search by yourself. You're going to need help combing through and two people will get the job done a lot faster."

Will stood there for minute, considering the offer before he gave a short and curt nod. "All right, then, Edward. We'll be leaving in just a few minutes, so prepare yourself. We might run into some…unwanted company. You should arm yourself for that."

Then the man turned, a hand placed purposely on the hilt of his sword strapped to his side. Edward hesitated at this before he pinched his lips into a compressed line and did what Will had advised.

When he came back up on deck, a sword at his own side, the girls and Alphonse immediately buffered him from taking another step. They shot a volley of questions at him, but he managed to get them to effectively stow it before he gave them his answer.

"But you can't! You can't swim if you fall overboard!" Alphonse protested. Edward stared past him, seeing the longboat already being lowered into the waters below. Will was waiting by the gunwale, while the two newest members of the _Black Pearl_, Ragetti and Pintel, helped lower the longboat. He looked back at the three of them.

"I'll be fine. Just stay here and we'll be back in about an hour or two. It shouldn't take _that_ long to search the ship."

"But—,"

"That's final. Now, move it. My ride's leaving and I'd rather be on it than left behind."

He brushed past them all, ignoring the protests they still shot at him, following him until he followed Will down the ladder and into the longboat. The tossing of the longboat, however, suddenly made his confidence waver when it seemed as though they would tip over. He gripped the longboat's gunwale tightly, clenching his jaw. Above him, Ragetti cackled, "Your chariot awaits you!"

"Not thinking of backing out, are you?" Will asked him as he finally settled. Edward shook his head, determined.

"No. I just…can't swim." He muttered darkly. Will frowned.

"Don't worry. Not everyone can."

"No, it's more than just the matter of not having learned to swim. There was…an accident. It _keeps_ me from swimming. Weighs me down."

Will was about to ask him another question, but above Jack leaned over and shouted above the wind and rain, "Oi! If you do happen to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt! Might save your life."

"Bon voyage!" Ragetti called afterwards. He kicked the longboat off and climbed back up the ladder onto the deck. Edward felt queasiness finally find him as the water roiled high and low while Will rowed. Edward held one of the two lamps they had, thinking on things that would harden his resolve. The other Will had clenched between his legs.

It seemed like an eternity had passed while they were slowly carried off towards the ship. Will squinted slightly as they traveled and Edward frowned.

"Something wrong?" Ed asked.

"They're dousing the lamps on the _Pearl_."

Edward turned sharply, craning his neck to peer behind him. Just as Will had said, the lights slowly began to flicker out of existence. A hard scowl formed on Ed's face and he turned back, gripping the frame of the lamp he was holding tightly. He heard the faint creak of metal and glass and suddenly released, realizing if they lost this light, they wouldn't have a light to go by. Or at the very least, _he_ would not have a light to go by when they separated for their search on the _Flying Dutchman_'s deck.

The rest of the long and arduous ride to the _Flying Dutchman_ had been filled with a painful silence. They simply sat in the stillness of one another, and when they reached the ship, they immediately set to work. Edward worked a slipknot out of the rope connected to the longboat and Will found a place to set the noose and tied it off. Edward was especially careful with how he exited the longboat, taken longer than he would have liked while Will was already off. Cargo floated off close by the ship, what sails that had survived flapped wetly in the wind and the rain, and the surf pounded against the wooden hull of the ship. The middle of the deck had been crushed in, leaving a large gap of water lapping on either side of the exposed decks. Ed paused and turned to Will, asking, "Think we can make that somehow?"

"I probably can, you can't. Not without swimming, at the very least. I don't know how we'd get you across. Maybe climb somehow." Then he stopped, motioning for Edward to stop as well. "Listen. Do you hear that?"

Edward listened. He listened past the falling rain, the whipping wind and the pounding surf. And there it was: the creaking of something. He frowned before he nodded in acknowledgment.

Will led the way and Edward looked all around them, checking for any danger. All seemed calm, he reasoned. At least, it seemed calm for now. And it seemed quiet enough, until Will stopped in his tracks for a few moments, holding his lamp up to something. When Will passed, Edward did the same and jolted back in disgust. Then with a shudder, he passed the dead body entangled in the lines the corpse was caught in, following Will. He heard the muttering and saw the figure ahead, shakily pulling at a creaking line.

"Sailor. Sailor!"

The man did not pause once and in the glow of their lamps, Edward saw that the man's hands were slick with blood. He exchanged a look with Will.

"There's no use, you've run aground." Will tried again. Finally the sailor looked at him, a deeply entrenching fear rooted far into the man's eyes. He stared at Will, almost with alien indifference. He trembled, but whether it was from the rain or from his fear, Edward couldn't tell.

"_No_," the sailor stated forcefully. "Beneath us." He shuddered, gasping quietly. "Foul breath."

Something splashed behind them. Edward was the first to start towards it, Will not far behind. It was a man, crawling from the water's edge, looking pathetically incapable of pulling himself up. As Ed made his way down, he heard the whimpering of another man, but didn't turn to see. He reached the helpless, crawling man's side and Will was setting his lamp down. "Hey!"

He moved swiftly to help. "Hey!"

Will helped Edward pull him clear of the water, before Will turned him over. The two of them backed away, revolted at the sight. There was no face on the man's head, just a distorted, throbbing featureless blob where it used to be. Edward leaned forward, finding it morbid that he found odd interest in this. The faceless man's features gave another large twitch, almost like he had something crawling beneath his skin before it went still. Edward went cold, realizing that the man couldn't breath and that he must've died from suffocation.

Suddenly, the faceless man didn't seem to be as important anymore. The ship full of people didn't seem to be important anymore. Looking for the key that Davy Jones supposedly had on this ship wasn't important anymore.

The seas behind them exploded in a massive watery display, and a featureless form plowed to the top of the ocean's surface. Slowly, though, a form was given to the dark husk, and in the next strike of lightning, Edward saw a crooked, snaggle-fanged grin. It wasn't the only thing he saw. He saw sails with holes in them, shrouds, lines, the hull of a ship, and the grinning fanged mouth turned into a bowsprit—

Then he realized he was looking at a ship.

Edward stared at the monstrous sight, the sight of a ship having clawed its way to the surface of the ocean. It was sailing right past them like a prowling predator, water pouring from every inch of the ship. He stared in awe and in fear at it. And then another realization hit him. The ship—this ship—was _not_ the _Flying Dutchman_. The _Flying Dutchman_ had been waiting in the waters below them, waiting like a predator to strike.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**It is fact that back in ye olde days, before, during and a long while after Pirates, not everyone knew how to swim. Some either had the ability, and the rest drowned.**

**Davy Jones will get his spotlight next chapter. (Glee!)**

**So, if y'all wanna see Davy Jones in all his badassery, I suggest a happy review (or even better, a critique!) to be left behind before you leave this chapter. Seriously, though, I'd really suggest it. xD**


	44. Deals With the Devil

**Deals With the Devil**

**Reviewers: **

**Yaoiluvr**

**Dontmezwitme**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Keiyou**

**KageArai**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Shinzochi**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Davy Jones shall now be making his appearance. Please stand by for another somewhat large chapter. (Cackles madly)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways._  
**- Dr. House, **_**"House M.D."**_** ("**_**Damned If You Do**_**")**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Something's wrong."

Bishquet watched out past the rain, trembling. Her mind reeled back to the scenes of the movie, over and over again. She didn't remember much of the lines that were exchanged, but something was going to happen. Davy Jones, his crew, his monstrous ship, and Will getting captured—

And Edward would be captured as well. Another shudder wracked her body and she gripped the gunwale to steady herself. Suddenly, she wished she'd done more to stop Edward from going. Will, she didn't mind. She knew he'd survive, the damned half-pirate, but Edward? He was too fiery. He didn't take crap from anyone, and she felt fear for the elder Elric, where Edward would never truly show it. She feared for Edward, and she knew if Alphonse had any ideas of what was to happen, he'd be even more frightened for his brother than she would be.

The ship had fallen eerily silent, no one daring to speak, and they rarely moved as well. Jack remained by the gunwale, watching as the lights had arrived at the Godforsaken broken ship on the reefs and rocks. He remained cool and distant, although his lips twitched occasionally. He'd dally his fingers about, or play with his sash without realizing it. Once or twice he'd drum his fingers against the gunwale. He took out his scope more than anything, always keeping his eyes sharp as he viewed the activities that were happening on the ship.

Her heart gave a terrified wrench at the loud roar of the ocean splitting apart and Bish jumped, not ashamed that she was afraid of the sound. Then she felt her blood go cold. The sight of the _Flying Dutchman_ up close and personal was much more imposing than it ever would be on television, now that she was staring at it firsthand. Her hands trembled and loosened against the gunwale and she felt ready to collapse. Bish heard the men give out cries of surprise, but Jack yelled to them to shut it and keep quiet. He gave her a quick glance, a serious look on his face before he snapped his scope shut and forcefully stowed it away.

"Damn," he muttered. "Looks like th' whelps will get captured after all."

Anger flared up inside of her and she forced it right back down. She knew of some possible consequences if she started bad-mouthing Jack. She didn't want to be tossed overboard, or end up in the brig again. She wanted to hit him, to be sure, for sending two people to deal with the monster that was Davy Jones, but…she knew she couldn't. Anger was what compelled her to do it, but fear was what held her back.

Instead, all she could do was stare out desperately at the hulking size of the _Flying Dutchman_ and pray that the two would make it through…even if Will was an idiot and Edward was an even bigger one for going there with him.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He didn't know where they materialized from; let alone how they had come aboard the ship that was most definitely _not_ the _Flying Dutchman_. All he knew was he heard the jeering and cruel laughs of men. But, when they approached, Edward had been momentarily taken aback by their grotesque appearances. One of them came close enough to them, carrying chains and a heavy ball on the end. Will turned in time to see the not-human man approach as he ordered, "Down on yer marrow bones, and _pray!_"

Then he lunged forward, chains clanking as the not-human man attempted to use brute strength against them. Will jumped and twisted in the air. Edward flipped just as expertly, and gave an extra kick at the sailor's backside. He slammed against the gunwale with a grunt. They were surrounded within seconds. They came at the two of them, grunting and bearing swords. Will pressed against his back momentarily, drawing his sword and exerting his strength on them, bearing their own weapons. Ed hesitated upon drawing his own. In truth, he was hoping he'd never have to use a sword. Surely, his arm was a different case, when he molded it with alchemy to his own specifications. It was his arm that was the sword, but now that he had to use a sword as an extension of his arm…

One of the not-human men towered above him and moved in quickly, swinging his sword down upon him. Edward instinctively blocked with his arm and the metal upon metal clanged loudly in the air. The sailor he was fighting hesitated, a confused grunt and quizzical tip of the head offering Ed enough time to slam his right fist into the sailor's gut. Another came at his backside. Edward twisted in time, finally drawing his own sword. Sword against sword, it went, the sharp metal clanging just as loudly as the sword against his arm had done so long ago.

But a flare of light and a very brief, faint blossom of heat behind him, reminded him of his partner. Will had somehow managed to get his sword to kick into flames and he waved the sword at the sailors. Most surrounded Will, and a few were going after Edward himself. He returned to his fight, managing to wound them, but not severely. He hated using the sword, wishing his hand could suffice in this battle.

When he subdued his own usurpers, he turned, intent on helping Will, hearing the man shout, "Get back! Back!"

He turned just in time to see Will ruthlessly slash at one of the men's bellies, gutting him like a fish. And it wasn't just the expression that was made literal, either. It was the fish and slime that literally spilled forth from the man's gaping belly. It certainly did not take just that to make Ed realize that these sailors were not human at all in just appearance. It seemed as though on the inside, they were just as inhuman as well.

One of the not-human men took advantage of Will's distraction and viciously dealt a vicious blow to his head. Will collapsed, almost instantly, the blow knocking Will out. The not-human sailors turned on Edward in an instant, giving him no respite. Edward gritted his teeth and charged forward, landing a harsh pounding in the face to one of the not-men with his left foot. He rolled and jumped to his feet, wincing when a sword nicked his fleshy arm. He turned round a mast, intent on taking to higher grounds, but suddenly pain reeled throughout his head, leaving him senseless. He stumbled before another blow came out of nowhere once more and he knew nothing but darkness.

He remembered waking up before Will. He was propped up, his arms bound behind his back and his right sleeve torn off completely. Will's had not been. Both of their swords, however, had been taken away. And the rain had stopped. He heard the pathetic whimpering of what crewmen that were still alive, captured by the devilish crew that had somehow gotten the drop on him. He secretly vowed to get even with whomever it was that had knocked him out. Few people could do that, he realized. His brother for one, and his teacher for another, they were a few of the exceptions. There was an extremely short list with only a few other people on it after those two.

Will came round to eventually, and soon he fell into a quiet shiver, not allowing it to show as visibly as the others were. Edward got a good look around and saw that the sailors he had been fighting were indeed not human in appearance. They were mixed and matched, like they had been patched together in humanoid forms, but had been dragged along the bottom of the sea and stuck with whatever life they came in contact with. They all stood out, especially the one with the hammerhead shark's head.

The thunk of something against wood caught his attention and Edward turned, just as curious as Will. He felt tension grip his body, more so at the approaching figure wading through the waters than the men he had been fighting. He was bulky, thick in build, tall and looked more than just an imposing figure. He was dangerous; he practically screamed it. A huge tricorn hat sat atop the man's head—if he was even a man, really—but it wasn't the large hat that caught his attention, no. It was the long beard of squirming tentacles and the flat, nose-less face that caught his eyes. Mostly, though, it was the tentacles…and the very large crab claw he had for a left arm. He stopped beside the hammerhead shark-man and the shark-man stated, "Six men still alive. The rest have moved on."

The claw-handed man slowly moved past the line of men, his claw-hand crushing closed while he limped on. If anything, the men grew shakier, more nervous, and more fearful. Then he stepped forward and leaned in on one of the men, staring hard at the shaking man.

A light blossomed and he pulled a pipe to his mouth, giving it a few puffs.

Slowly, as he blew smoke from his mouth, he asked, "Do you fear death?" The light disappeared. "Do you fear that dark abyss?" The shaking, whimpering man nodded his head. The thick man continued, "All your deeds laid bare? All your sins _punished?_ I can offer you…an _escape_."

"Don't listen to him!"

Edward and Will paid sharp attention to the voice. So did the claw-handed man. He sharply turned his head at it. If Edward had a better seat, he would have seen the frightened man, bearing a crucifix in his trembling hands, the religious symbol of the cross shaking terribly back and forth in short bursts. The claw-handed man sniffed once and pulling himself to his full height, snatching at the man's neck with his claw. Carefully, almost like inspecting a piece of meat on whether it was good or not, the claw-handed man stared down at the man who'd spoken out. Edward felt his temper rising, and he wriggled quietly at his bonds, wishing nothing more than a good bit of alchemy to snap at the ropes.

The claw-handed man spoke while Edward struggled. "Do you _not_ fear death?"

"I-I'll take my chances, sir."

He released his thick appendage and nodded to one of the crewmen. "To the depths."

They held the man and slit his throat before tossing the body into the tossing sea below. Edward's anger doubled tenfold and he fumed. Now he knew why the men tied him up; they've seen his arm. They weren't going to take chances. He snarled under his breath and muttered, "Bastard!"

Another man spoke up as he did. "Cruel blackguard!"

The tall, crab claw-handed man regarded the other speaker with harsh regards, tapping his pipe against his hardened shell of a hand.

"_Life_ is cruel. Why should the afterlife be any _different?_ I offer you an choice." He stepped to one of the men, almost looming like a dark predator. The man looked up, almost with lifeless resignation. "Join _my_ _crew_…and _postpone_ _the_ _judgment_. One hundred years before the mast. Will ye serve?"

"I-I-I will serve."

He felt his anger continue to fray beneath the surface, as he grimly continued to add to the list of whose ass he needs to beat when this was all over. The rope behind him was beginning to snap, but then he stopped as the claw-handed man stood up and glanced at him and Will. But, then he did a double take on them. Edward made sure to glare extra hard when the man noticed him.

"The two of you are neither _dead_ nor _dying_." He looked to the hammerhead shark-man, and then turned back at them. "What is your purpose here?"

Edward silently pleaded for Will to keep his trap shut—

"Jack Sparrow sent us to settle his debt."

And he was sorely disappointed. He could have hit the man, if his hands weren't bound and if it wouldn't seem to make them even more suspicious. The claw-handed man paused and asked again, sounding almost amused, "_What_ is your purpose here?"

"Jack Sparrow…sent us to…settle his debt?"

He laughed. "Ha. Did 'e now? I'm sorely tempted to accept that offah."

Once more, the claw-handed man stood and an epiphany hit Edward as he quietly, and as discreetly as possible, wriggled at his bonds. The man he was facing, and contemplating beating the shit out of once he was free, was Davy Jones. And, as Davy Jones stood and turned, bringing himself to his full, burly height, he suddenly disappeared. He froze and felt his blood run cold. He was no longer dealing with rules that applied to his world, or this world either. He was playing in another new world; with much more complicated rules, and he was just now learning them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Silence pounded heavily over the crew of the _Black Pearl_. The rains had stopped, the growling thunder had quieted down, and the lightning strikes had ceased altogether. The only natural sounds were the surf against the hull of the _Pearl_, and occasional shuffle of leather boots against wet wood. Activity had merged upon the not-_Flying Dutchman_ where the two lads had gone at least an hour or so ago. The real _Flying Dutchman_ had long ago made her morbidly iconic ascent to the surface. Now it sat, silent and waiting, like a dark, evil marauder with a will and mind of its own.

While activity ensued over on Will and Edward's end, activity had long ago died on Jack's end. He waited impatiently, quirkily, and unbecomingly. He had once nibbled at his hands, but then stopped after several long minutes. When he saw that the _Dutchman_ had dropped anchor, Jack began viewing through his scope, keeping himself busy and muttering to himself quietly. His movements became less fidgety, and his impatience stretched and faded away until he seemed to have regained his usual charmed and alluring personality. But, that sense of jitteriness just below the surface was all too evident if someone paid close enough attention.

The crew had grown just as silent as their captain. They began realizing quickly that something much bigger than the prospect of looting, pillaging, pilfering and overall, plundering good merchants and their fat riches was in it for the long run. Something much larger than them, something quite…unnatural, was in the works. Trifling with a figure such as Davy Jones might've been a laugh if they had shipped out with another captain, but with Jack Sparrow, it never seemed to be a joke in his presence, under his command.

Minutes ticked by. Jack continued on with his scope. The surf calmed, but it did nothing to the nerves of a jittery captain, a nervous crew, and an anxious trio awaiting the return of a brother and comrade. Even if that certain comrade sucked at being a pirate, he was still someone that was decent enough to be on the team. He was good with a sword, at least.

Jack once more brought his scope to his eye, peering anxiously through the glass. His crew stood by, the girls and Alphonse waiting just as impatiently. Then something different happened. It was a something that promised horrid things. It was a certain something that did not allow peace of mind, or good luck. When Jack peered through his scope once more, he squinted, as usual. When the scope dropped, Captain Davy Jones himself had suddenly materialized aboard the _Black Pearl_, his intimidating form towering over the smaller, lankier form of Captain Jack Sparrow.

The crew stepped away, fearful and with cries of surprise escaping their mouths. Davy Jones stood quietly by as his crew formed themselves out of nowhere, same as the _Dutchman_'s captain had done. They captured the crew in their slimy, crusty, hard and inhuman clutches. Blades of all sorts were drawn to hold their prisoners, warning their prisoners of their fate if they fought back. Ragetti, who was being half-dragged and half-picked up, whimpered in fear as one of them sneered in his face.

It didn't take long for Jack's crew to be held back and detained by Jones's crew.

Jack merely looked around, surprised, but at the same time, not so surprised.

"…Oh."

Jones crunched his face into an intimidating scowl, and stated crossly, "_You_ have a debt to pay. You've been captain of the _Black Pearl_ for _thirteen years_. _That_ was our agreement!"

Davy Jones had made his towering form be put to work, stepping forward and pushing Jack backwards. His crab peg leg made thundering plunks with every step, increasing the silent pressure of the situation. However, Jack held his poker face strong and answered the captain, "_Technically_, I was only captain for _two_ years, then I was viciously mutinied upon."

Davy Jones replied with his sharp tongue, giving no reassurance to Jack. "Then you were a _poor_ captain, but a _captain_ nonetheless! Have you not introduced yourself all these years as _Captain Jack Sparrow?_"

Jones had stepped past Jack and mocked him with that last line, earning guffaws and loud cackles from his crewman. Jack's crew remained still and silent, fearing for their lives. Lupin felt the fear run ice cold through her veins and she only had to look at Bishquet and Alphonse once to know that they too, were feeling that same petrifying fear in them. The claws of the crewman that was holding her tightened briefly and she bit the inside of her cheek to stifle her squeak of pain.

Jack remained indifferent to his crew, to Lupin and Bish, to Alphonse as well. He pivoted, scope still extended in his hand.

"You have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there. And, I even threw in a bonus." Jack motioned towards the _Dutchman_. At this, Alphonse felt his stomach give a sickening jerk and his throat went dry. He didn't want to believe what Jack was proposing to this man of the deep, this unfathomably fictitious man of the sea who turned out as real as he was. He wanted to oppose, but he felt his voice escape him.

"_One_ soul is _not_ equal to another, let alone _two_ _souls_."

"Aha! So, we've established my proposal is sound in principle, and now we're just haggling over a price."

There was a sharp crack from Jones's neck as he questioned carefully, "Price?" Then he made a soft popping soft. Interest and curiosity had colored his tone, and he viewed Jack with an almost different, if somewhat amused, light.

Alphonse continued to feel the thick sludge of fear poison him, fill him from top to bottom, while his throat constricted. The thought of Jack selling off his brother—and his brother's _soul_—to this inhuman creature who called himself a captain of a ship. It made his stomach churn and he felt revulsion at the piratical captain. He felt disgust at the situation he and the others had gotten into. But he could not say anything. He found it strange and alien not to be able to put his voice out and protest, but the vice-like grip of reason and rationalization was also what held him back, kept him from fighting. He didn't fancy making the situation worse without seeing what the possible outcome _might_ be.

Numbly, he heard Jack haggle away, while Jones answered bluntly, adding in three days to the price of ninety-eight souls. There were three days to collect ninety-eight souls…more people for Jack to sell off in order to save his own hide. And Jack's soul was worth _a hundred others' souls_. His heart wrenched in his chest when Jack tried to get William and his brother back. Hope briefly bloomed inside of him. But, it instantly shattered painfully when Jones wouldn't budge, refusing to allow either young man back.

They would be "good faith payments," as Jones had stated to Jack.

"_Faith payments_" rattled endlessly through his skull. He felt the pain increase, but then it numbed momentarily when Jack replied glibly after Jones and his crew had their laugh.

"Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, a _terrific_ soprano. Worth at least four. Maybe three and a half. An' did I happen to mention…'e's in love…" Jack paused before adding, "With a girl."

Jack circled Davy Jones, almost like he had suddenly turned the tables and transformed into the predator. Alphonse's mind shifted to the thought of William. No wonder the young man seemed so singly-mindset to returning to Port Royal, wherever that place might be. There was a woman involved, a fiancé to marry. He gave a glance towards Bish, but she didn't meet his gaze. She was too busy keeping his widened eyes glued on Jones and Jack, refusing to budge.

"And have I also not mentioned Edward Elric? Hard-working lad, a bit stubborn…hard to tell where he's at in that sharp little mind o' his. His brother's over there, come to think of it." Jones turned to glance at Alphonse, and he saw the piercing blue gaze—bright and discriminating—before it lazily drifted to Bish and Lupin. Jones raised his brow-ridge and stepped forward two or three steps, scrutinizing the two women more than he had Alphonse. Jones smirked slightly, as if in amusement at the sight of the two young women. Bishquet had gone ramrod straight, almost pushing against her captor to keep away from Jones. Davy Jones laughed, but it faded when he looked to Lupin. He let out a snuffled snort at her blank, perhaps even an inkling of a dark, gaze and moved back to Jack. Alphonse gave Bish another look, worry crossing his features, but she still refused to look at him. He expelled a sudden breath, like he'd been holding it before tearing his gaze away from the young woman, returning just in time to hear Jones say, "I keep the boys. Ninety-eight souls."

Alphonse's stomach plummeted once more. He was further discouraged in his faith in Jack when the man answered Jones's penetrating answer of a simple, "Yep, I'm good with it. Shall we seal it in blood? I mean, er, ink?"

Seconds later, Jones smacked his relatively normal looking hand against Jack's.

"Three days…" Their captors released them and before he found his voice, Lupin had already found it for him with her own voice.

"Wait! Wait, w-wait."

The creature that had perhaps once been a man, moved forward to snag back at Lupin, but she had already avoided his grasp and skid to a stop in front of Davy Jones. She looked absolutely and ridiculously tiny compared to Jones. He was tall and thick, while she was skinny and short. Alphonse felt his own captor's grip loosen, but he didn't shake the clawed hands off quite yet, but felt distress for the young woman's well being spike up. Bish hissed quietly, uttering a soft and worrisome, "Loopy…!"

Jones sharply turned to the voice, and Jack winced visibly. Lupin quivered as she found herself suddenly rooted to the spot, standing before Davy Jones, the terror of the seas. He regarded her almost as lazily as he had first laid eyes upon her, but a slight uplifting corner of his lips made her shiver all over again.

"And what business do you have with me, wench?"

Her back snapped and stiffened at that. But she kept her temper in check, although there wasn't much of a temper to watch out for. It had mostly been replaced by terror. She let out a shuddering breath, almost afraid to speak.

"Y-you can't take Edward." Her voice was shaky and threatened to crack. She hated how afraid she was. She hated it so much that it made her gut wrench and it would drop away and come back up uncontrollably. Jones laughed before he did anything else. The other crewman laughed. Jack joined in, but he let it break off at nervous intervals as he moved forward slowly, hands reaching for her to pull Lupin back in.

"Mind yer manners, luv, this is one man you _don't_ want to trifle with. Come along—,"

Almost as soon as he touched her, she jerked out of his grip and slapped at his hands, snarling viciously in an animalistic way at the man. "Get your hands off of me!"

Jack stepped back, shocked and he raised his brows at the wolf. She panted from her sudden outburst, glaring heavily at the pirate before she turned back to Jones. Then the anger was replaced by fear all over again. Amusement was replaced by annoyance in Jones and he took one intimidating step towards Lupin, the crab peg leg making her heart jump in fright.

"I do what I please, and no _pirate's_ _whore_ is going to tell me otherwise!"

She turned to face Jones once more, and the cottony taste resumed drying out her mouth. Her breath was shaky and her mind whirred. Before she knew what she was really thinking, she blurted out to him, "Take me instead."

Davy Jones stared, briefly thrown off by the comment. He made a popping noise similar to how he had done when Jack offered his proposal. Jones stood to his full height and regarded Lupin quite warily. She felt her confidence trickle back into her, like a slow-dripping sieve. She swallowed and forced her dry gags down when it hurt.

"Take me instead of that-that boy. He's useless when it comes to the water. You'd have nothing but a-a…drowning _rat_ on your ship if he fell over. Dead weight."

"You're talking about that _arm_ of his, aren't you? Don't give me that look, I _know_ what I saw protruding from that boy's shoulder."

Jones saw the flicker of recognition in the wolf's eyes and he laughed cruelly once again. His crew laughed along with him and Lupin's heart hammered painfully at the sound.

"What makes you so certain you'd survive better than he would? I have no use of women on _my_ ship."

"Because in order to break him…you'd have to kill him." The words stung her deeply and she resisted the urge to suddenly turn and look at Alphonse, to look at him and apologize for her words. Her own words hurt her deeply and she felt it stab at her heart to even having thought of saying those things about Edward. She didn't like how she had to come to this. She didn't even know _how_ it had come to this. Davy Jones observed the wolf closely, a smile still tipping his lips as Lupin continued quietly, "And I don't require that kind of breaking. I'll do what work is necessary on the ship. I can work just as well as any man."

Bish realized she'd been silent for too long. She forgot about the captor still holding her and she jerked forward, only to be latched onto as she exclaimed, "Lupin, don't—!"

"Wait a minute!"

Silence fell in a thick sheet over the two captains, the two crewmen, and the two young women. Davy Jones had lifted his dark, yet equally bright, gaze up and sneered at Alphonse.

"What's this? Is everyone on yer ship to be making all sorts o' deals over this one _boy_? I'm beginning to _tire_ of these interruptions." Jones addressed Jack Sparrow sharply with a dark glower and the pirate lifted his hands in mock defeat and surrender.

"I have not the _slightest_ clue, they're all very protective of one another. Some sort of li'l club they have going on. Something or other like that…" Jack answered vaguely with mild flutters of his hand. He gave a quick glance toward Alphonse. The younger Elric did not miss the chance to cast a dark gaze towards the man, one that would do his brother proud. Jack winced and looked away. Jones did not flinch, however, and he stepped past the wolf. The man ensnared Alphonse in his huge crab claw hand, eyeing the young man, almost thoughtfully. Alphonse's captor moved away with a cackle, while Jones tilted Alphonse's head slightly in the large claw.

"And what is the purpose of your interference, boy?"

The claw was released and Alphonse chocked for a second. In the moment he brought his eyes up, he saw Bish was watching him in abject terror and worry, her lip wobbling slightly, eyes misted over. He took his gaze away; no matter how much it pained him to do so.

"Like the girl said, my brother's useless. He'd drown if he fell overboard and she's right about the breaking part. He's stubborn, and doesn't answer too well with authority." He coughed a few times before straightening himself, squaring his shoulders and gazing directly at Jones, his fear settling in the pit of his chest, but he did not show it. "But like you've stated, you have no place for women on board. Take me instead of my brother and I'll prove to be more useful than he ever could."

Davy Jones stood to his full and intimidating height once again. He regarded Alphonse for the longest of time, switched to gaze at Lupin for a shorter amount, and then once more landed his bright, yet malicious, eyes on Alphonse. He stared Jones in the eye, refusing to show the fear he felt for his brother to the man who was no longer human. Alphonse waited, the silence throbbing heavily on his patience, crushing him. Jones tilted his head once more before he uttered a single laugh and the man leaned forward, his tentacle beard twitching and writhing as he did so.

"Your brother's soul for your own, is it now?" Jones laughed again, although this time, his crew did not join in. They were as silent as Jack's crew. Jones leaned back, latching his crab claw hand on Alphonse's arm and jerked him forward. "This boy will be coming with me, Sparrow. Take yer metal-armed boy, and remember: three days. Ninety-eight souls."

Then the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ was gone. His crew backed away slowly, releasing their prisoners, whispering and echoing three days to Jack's crew. Lupin shook her head, her eyes snapping to the _Dutchman_. "No…no, Goddammit, no!"

Where Jones had disappeared, Edward had suddenly appeared. One moment, he wasn't there, and the next he was. His arms were bound tightly behind his back and he fell to his knees, growling and already picking himself to his feet. He shouted something, stopped, and sat in a crouched position, staring around and panting, realizing he was no longer where he was moments before. His eyes caught Lupin's, then drifted away in a split second, looking over the faces of the crew, almost as if they were people he's never seen before.

"What—?" He stopped almost as soon as he landed his gaze back on Lupin's face as she collapsed to her knees and broke into sobs. Bish had snapped out of her numbed reverie, and turned her sharp eyes towards Jack. She snarled at him silently, in anger, pain and betrayal at the man. Hot tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. Then she let out a dry sob, wanting to scream, but the numbness held her stock still, held her to her spot. She felt like she could only glare at the man who had simply let this happen.

Lupin shut her eyes tightly, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. Letting Edward go with Will, not fighting against Alphonse's decision, not staying with Tia Dalma, this whole _thing_ in general…

"Where's Alphonse?"

The sound of Edward's voice brought Lupin back down to Earth and she shakily brought her gaze to meet Edward's. Half of her mind had been solely trained on _what_ had gone wrong, _where_ it had happened, and _why_ she didn't see any of it coming. She found Edward standing before her, having moved closer, staring at her intensely. His eyes flicked away for a second, looking behind Lupin and he frowned deeply. Then he was focused on her again.

"Where is Alphonse?" He asked her again, but this time there wasn't the same hardness, the same quality of gathering her attention in his tone. It was more…desperate for an answer, prying when she didn't answer the first time. Her eyes stung with hot tears again and she dropped her gaze before tugging her small pocketknife from her boot and she fiddled with shaking hands to get it open.

"Answer me! Where is my brother? What happened here?"

Bishquet's silence was deafening on its own, more so than Edward's voice. She suddenly felt that her friend was too quiet and she turned to look at Bish. Lupin froze when she saw the mixture of emotions on her friend's face and their eyes met. Lupin was suddenly wishing she could walk away and try to comfort her friend, get Alphonse back, fix this whole situation, help Calypso, do something other than cry like she was a helpless little girl all over again—,

"Dammit, I'm not going to ask again! _Where's Alphonse?!_"

She closed her eyes and stifled another sob, finally clicking her knife open. She made to move towards the rope binding Edward, cut it away, actually put herself to work, make her hands useful.

"Jones h-has him…" She felt like a coward, not being able to look him in the eye. But she forced herself, locking gazes however much she didn't want to, looking as sorry as she felt while she held back her sobs. "He took your place. H-he took your place on the _Flying Dutchman_."

She wished none of this had ever happened to any of them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Reviews are love and hugs. Cookies and brownies given to all who do! **

**And, I would have uploaded this last night, but the site decided to be a dick about letting the Document Manager upload, so I didn't get a chance to upload this the day I wanted to. Sorry for the delays!**


	45. Self Pity

**Self Pity**

**Reviewers: **

**D3athrav3n92**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Keiyou**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Yaoiluvr**

**KageArai**

**Shinzochi**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**First off, I'm going to say, that the last chapter had one of the most work done on it for the past two and a half years. I won't reveal everything about, but the renovations had been extensive, many times over. Verbal abuse, screaming profanity and whatnot were some of the first ideas. Discarded almost immediately, although if this entire piece of fanfiction was actual crack, and I wanted everyone to act OOC, it probably would have stayed. **_**Just**_** for my pure amusement.**

**Instead, it did not, and more ideas flooded in. I'm happy with the way the last chapter came out, although last minute renovations were once again placed into it and I think it made it much better. I hope I had done Davy Jones justice, because…come on. It's Davy Jones, for Christ's sake. **

**I will also say, thank you for the support, the comments and the love from you all. I'm glad you've all stuck this far with me on this story, and I hope that you'll be able to stick with me until the end, whenever that may be! I don't foresee this story ending before August 10****th****, the day I ship out for the Marines, but I do see it ending sometime afterwards, when I have the time. I just hope to God this doesn't drag on for years, I'm sure most of you will hate me for that. xD**

**Anyways, my loves, I leave you with this: peace, love and granola, and have some lovely cyber brownies, cookies, and other assortments of sweets from yours truly. **

**And, don't forget to review for this chapter; it's been worked over about as much as last chapter, but in a much shorter time frame for y'all. :D On another note, a very big thank you to the Bishquet for her input and help with this chapter, particularly. Love and hugs for her as well! :D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.  
A small bird will fall frozen dead from a bough,  
Without ever having felt sorry for itself.  
**- D.H. Lawrence**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Her hands were shaking. It wasn't out of the fear she had when Davy Jones and his disgustingly inhuman crew. It wasn't out of a nervous disorder or a panic attack. Well, maybe just a little. Mostly, however, it was out of rage and the feeling of being deceived. She had a sudden and profound hatred for Jack, unfathomably deep at the moment because of his own selfishness, for allowing _anyone_ to go and suffer on Jones's ship. She felt it cruel to send anyone aboard the _Flying Dutchman_. Her head, her heart and her whole body ached. She wanted to thrash someone terribly. She didn't want to feel this pain, feel this anger and hatred and all the other balled up emotions battling it out inside of her. When Lupin had finally helped a petrified Edward from his bounds, the wolf had come to her. Bishquet had collapsed, not caring if she had begun sobbing in front of the crew. Lupin hadn't taken long to join her, and they sat, clutching at one another. She had heard Lupin apologize to her over and over again, saying it was her fault for not trying harder, for not taking no for an answer, for just standing there and letting Alphonse go.

Edward had been no better, but neither of the two women knew what he had done. Mr. Gibbs, after seeing to it that their course was for Tortuga, had already come to usher the two girls down and make them some hot tea below in the galley. It would have been a surprise for them both, if they both had been in a better state than they were when he made it. Instead, they had numbly sat, hiccupping and dry heaving their sobs away, suddenly very silent and unwilling to speak with anyone, even with one another.

It was then Bishquet had realized how powerless they all were in this place, how powerless _she_ had become. She kept wondering if Alphonse would be safe. She already knew Will had to be; she'd seen the movie. It was a no brainer. But it was Alphonse her mind drifted towards constantly. It was what kept her awake, this nagging and worrisome feeling that bounced all around her mind. It also made her wish that their relationship could grow more than it has already. Lupin had already discussed her theories to them all. Bishquet had mulled over them, knowing which of her statements were truths and lies, and focused on the truths. Tia Dalma couldn't help them now, but when she was freed, it would become a very different story. They would go home. It made her think on what to do now when that time came. She didn't know how this would all end, if it would end peaceably at all, with all their lives intact. She hoped to God that it would, but who knew? They could very well become the Kraken's lunch before they could even blink.

Her mind traveled back to Alphonse. She still worried. She worried for his life, for his sake, and the one question kept coming back to her about what they would do when they would all finally go home, if they made it in the end? Most likely, he'd go back with this brother to the 1920's. She and Lupin would end up back to their own time period, to the early 2000's. This made her tear up again, thinking about the separation, of all things. She didn't want to give him up, but she knew she would have to. It was part of the inevitable. She hated it. It was added to her hate list. She hated being here, she hated Jack, she hated not being home with her family, she hated how things have already turned out, and she hated thinking about the most logical choice when it came down between herself and Alphonse.

She wanted to stay with him. It was just that. Even if they were stuck here, on a ship for weeks on end without human interaction with the outside world, she still found that he was one of the sweetest guys she's been with. She'd been cheated on before, lied to, betrayed. They had all been jackasses, cheating assholes or just plain assholes to begin with. But Alphonse was different.

Even if her experiences had been only with perhaps three or four guys, she had learned enough from them, as well as from her friends' relationship experiences. Even Lupin's one and only previous relationship, she had learned from. By Bish's latest endeavor, she had wanted to live as much in the moment of the relationship. It was so she could look back on the good of it all, to know that there had been good things to recollect upon. But now…now she looked back on it all, and then moved away from it, pulling herself back to Alphonse. To everything they've done together so far and what they could have done.

He was there. He was sweet and even in the most simplistic of manners; he was there or made her feel needed. Even with their separation from the world, he could always find some way of being sweet with her, surprise her even. She remembered a little complicated knot he'd made out of string for her, shaped like a butterfly. How he knew how to do it, she didn't know, but she still had it, nestled on her side of the cubby. Some of the simplest things he's done had been the best things she's been grateful for. She didn't, honest to God, want to give that up and be stuck with another man some day in the future, who most likely, would only treat her the same as her previous relationships.

But, Bish also had to wonder when he'd grow sick of her, throw in the towel and tell her that he's done. She always had that fear, rotting and festering at the back of her mind and in the deepest pit of her stomach. She just didn't want to deal with it, didn't want to think about it. Now it was flaring up in her face like an exposed cobra, baring its terrifying fangs and forcing her to back down into the primal thoughts of what was going to happen. There were so many "what if" scenarios, and the fear that she just might lose Alphonse because of stupidity of some sort. She choked on another sob.

All she wanted now, all she could focus on for the moment, was for Alphonse to get back safely. Bish wanted to back away from the subject her mind had forced itself upon her, but she kept coming back to it. She mused for long periods of time. Lupin had come with lunch, sat with her, silent as the grave. Bish had finally gone to sleep again. Her last thoughts focused on Alphonse's safety once again. She hoped to God that William Turner didn't fuck things up and get him killed. Because, if he did, he'd have a very angry Guatemalan woman to deal with that even the Devil himself would quake in fear from her wrath. And if only that were really true, then she could have invoked some penetrable fear into Davy Jones…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He had been confined to the brig. Embarrassing.

Or at the very least, it would have been, if he had been focused on his pride rather than his brother. When Lupin had shakily told him that Alphonse was on Davy Jones's ship, he didn't want to believe it. But that tingle in his spine, the sudden and unwelcome shudder across his body and the looming emptiness that lacked of the presence of his brother were enough to set his anger out on Jack. _He_ had been the one to send him and Will to that ship, knowingly that it was _not_ the _Flying Dutchman_. _Jack_ had been the one knowing that him and Will would most likely get captured by the _**real**_ _Flying Dutchman_ and that there would have been something fishy going on when he had been released back onto Jack's ship. But, Will had not. And it certainly didn't take a genius to figure out that Alphonse had switched places with him on Jones's ship, even if he hadn't been told.

Now he was alone, in the brig, confined until further notice, not knowing of any condition concerning his brother at all. Edward had not moved, not budged a muscle, for the past several hours. He didn't know how long he'd been in there, who had put him there, and when he really would be released, other than the vague answer of "until further notice". The way it all had panned out had happened in a blur and at the moment, he wasn't too keen on separating each distorted moment from the next.

He stared darkly past the bars, glaring heatedly in the distance. When he finally did move, his muscles were stiff and sore from sitting for so long in his tense position. He got up and walked around in circles, cracked his back, loosened his stiff neck, stretched his arms and legs before sitting back down again into the very same position. He contemplated snapping the iron bars and breaking out, just to spite Jack. It would have taken a while, but he knew that the weaker metal would bend to his will, one way or another. But then he voted against it, knowing he'd break something on his own person and he didn't have Winry to fix anything, or any other automail mechanic. Lupin was handy, but he doubted she could figure out anything on his arm properly, not the way Winry had been trained.

Edward stiffened at the sound of the plunk of heavy boots against wood. They were hesitant steps, and he waited, only his eyes drifting. The rest of him remained still. Out of the shadows, he saw it was Lupin, rubbing her arm and looking in a sorry state herself.

Her eyes were red and her face blotchy from crying and she looked ready to start all over again when she saw him. He shifted, watching her. She stopped, reluctant, before moving forward again until she was before the iron bars of the brig, looking down at him as he remained sitting. Finally he turned his head away, unable to look at her.

For the longest time there was silence between the two of them.

"She finally went to sleep," she at last started, her voice cracking. He glanced at her, while she continued quietly, almost in a whisper, "She's been crying. For a long time."

Lupin sniffed, no longer rubbing her arm, but she still held it, almost uncertain of what to do. Her lip wobbled and she dropped her gaze to her feet. "I'm so sorry, Ed, I—,"

"I don't want to talk about it." He remarked bluntly, looking away from her. Her breath faltered as she let it out. Something hit against the bars and he turned to see Lupin sliding down and sitting against them, leaning for support. He sighed. "Go to bed. You're exhausted—,"

"Is that all you have to say? 'Go to bed'?" She sniffed and turned her head sharply. He didn't miss that tear on her cheek, but neither the remnant of an angry glint in her eye. "Is that all you have to say?"

"What do you _want_ me to say?"

"Bob Marley stuff," she sniffed. He stared, the name not registering to him like it had with Lupin. "Don't worry about a thing. Everything will be all right. _Something._"

He hesitated, a frown twisting itself on his lips. He got up and moved towards the bars before he too, leaned against them, parallel to the wolf. Their shoulders touched through the bars. He laced an arm through, putting a hand on top of her hand and squeezed. She looked up at him, surprise coloring her face before she squeezed back. She leaned back against the bars, not letting go.

"I was going to take your place." His grip loosened at this. He studied her, too shocked to respond. "But, Alphonse, he…didn't give Jones a chance to consider it, he…he spoke up before Jones could say yes to that. He wouldn't let me."

She curled back up again, and he heard her sob. He felt reluctance grip at him, words failed him before he pursed his lips and squeezed her hand again reassuringly.

"We'll get him back. He'll come back. Him and Will are going to look for the key. Then they'll come back. I don't know how…but he will." Lupin lifted her head back up again and she stared, studying him. He met her gaze and nodded confidently. She was not very convinced at this.

"But, he traded places for you, that means he's—,"

"He agreed to trade _places_ for me, not to slave for Jones in my place. He has to _agree_ to work for Jones. He'll make it through. I _know_ he will."

She said nothing, pursing her lips. She purposely kept quiet, hoping his words were true enough. She remembered clearly the exchange between Alphonse and Jones earlier. She just hoped Alphonse would find some sort of loophole to evade Jones's grasp somehow, without Will getting either of them killed. She knew she was only using him as a scapegoat, but she had her evidence from his past—and even future—blunders to support her stereotyping of the man.

Edward laced his other hand through the bars, tipping her chin up, making her look at him again. The sudden contact of his hand against her face was a surprise. His lips compressed before he spoke again. "We're all going to make it through all this. I promise you that."

She didn't realize she'd leaned forward, intent on making sure she didn't lose any of his words, he'd spoken so quietly. Lupin nodded slowly, and she tried to smile, but it ended up becoming a small grimace, so she gave it up. He still hadn't let go of her face, still hadn't looked away. His breath mingled against hers, his eyes almost watching her hungrily. Their faces were closer.

Someone shouted above deck and she glanced away, breaking eye contact, distracted by what was being said. His hand slipped back into the cell just as quietly as he had let it go through. Edward gave his other hand a squeeze against hers before he sighed, almost resignedly and leaned away. "You should go to bed and get some rest. I'll be fine."

Lupin faltered for a moment, swallowing nervously before she stood up shakily and nodded. He remained sitting and gave her the tiniest of smiles, trying to reassure her. Again, she tried to smile back, but it didn't succeed. "I'll bring you breakfast before I serve anyone else. Jack never said you couldn't have food or water."

He let out a single laugh and a nod. "Don't get caught. Just in case." He paused. "And tell Bish what I told you. We'll get Alphonse back, I promise."

This time he elicited a tiny smile from her. It was not an awkward grimace or scrunching of the face, but an actual smile, however small. It made him feel better, even if only marginally. She nodded again, before turning to leave. Before she disappeared, she cast him one last look, then wordlessly turned and left him alone once again.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They were in the captain's quarters. An angry captain and several of his sailors were gathered inside, viewing over documents and important papers. Or, at the very least, they would have been important, if they were consequently… offensive in their documentation. Even the captain had exclaimed his outrage at what was printed on the leaflets, each of them branded with the insignia of the East India Trading Company.

He threw the papers onto the desk, listing off the names of fees, taxes, and bills that were owed him for each of his berths at any given town known for its trade. He turned away with the slap of the last few documents in his hand, angrily stating, "Are we all to work for the East India Trading Company, then?"

There was hesitation from his men as they exchanged a look.

"I'm afraid, sir, Tortuga is the only free port left in these waters."

The captain would not hear of it. "A _pirate_ port is what you mean. Well, I'm sorry, an honest sailor is what I am. I make my living fair, and I sleep well each night, thank you."

Behind the captain, distracting his men as he spoke, the ghostly form of the dress they had scavenged passed by the glass windows. Frightened, one of them spoke with a stutter, pointing to the window. The captain followed, leaning out to gaze out into the night. His men followed. The dress, gently billowing forth, passed the window once more. The captain and his men withdrew in fear, and perhaps in raw fascination as well.

They were outside immediately, and there was the lady ghost, donning her dress. Surely, they could not see the ghost of the widowed virgin, but her gown, they could see. A sleeve motioned ahead, moving in such frail movements. The wind itself threatened to bowl over the delicate gown, but it remained strongly against the currents.

Down below, Elizabeth watched the men, weaving her puppet masterfully using brooms as impromptu sticks to manipulate and control her dress. As a child, she had always played with puppets; fascinated with how they moved when she willed them too. But, often times, she had also grown frustrated, as young as she was, when the lines tangled and the dolls refused to move with her will done to them.

She had practiced on the ship for the past few nights, when all men were sleeping, where she had taken late shifts willingly. She couldn't alter their course purposely toward Tortuga; they would have found her out if she had, so instead, she practiced her puppeteer skills like she had as a child: with equal fascination at her ability to control, and her equal frustration grew when she could not do so. Tonight had been a good night to draw forth upon her act.

Not only would she be controlling her dress on wires tonight, but she would also be controlling the crew and its captain with her masterful skill. It just required patience, and hers was beginning to wear thin as of late.

Below, she saw the men scramble about as she slammed the dress against a purposely-placed lantern, and then the lantern broke; the released fire lit up, and burned across the painted words below.

"Over there! Look for a sign!" The captain shouted, and faithfully, his men followed. Unfortunately, they followed past the fire, almost as though it was of no consequence, of no concern. Elizabeth, after tangling her dress behind the sails, she saw the men leaning over the gunwale of the ship. She sighed in exasperation as the men watched the waters below.

"Look there! There it is. It's a sign!"

_No, no, no! Not there!_ Elizabeth thought, as she slid down a rope, careful not to go down too fast, lest she severely burn her hands and make them useless. Slowly, she came down, before putting on a last bit of speed. The rope bit into her hands, but it was of little consequence. The men continued to bicker amongst themselves as she slapped her rump against down on a solid surface and sat down, hands on her knees when she touched down.

"What's that over there?" She asked, deepening her voice. Granted, it still sounded feminine, but so far, she'd been able to fool the others into thinking she was but a young lad who had not come fully-grown quite yet. That, and she was quite grateful to have small breasts, unlike the other women of Port Royal. She had a better chance at fooling people into believing she was a man than they ever had. She supposed this was a good time to be grateful.

As the men turned, they came to her, flocking as she leaned down on the barrel she was perched upon, smiling in mock fascination at the burning words of Tortuga, blazing on the deck. Inside, she was grinning broadly like the Cheshire cat who had fooled the rest of the lot. She had finally turned the tides, with no joke intended towards the reference. Her plan of using these men's superstitious beliefs had definitely benefited her cause. Now all she had to do was wait for the captain to turn the ship towards Tortuga, which was only a day's sail away from where they were currently.

Then, she could find Will. And, if hope would have it, Jack would not be too far behind him. She could only hope at this point on, and that was what drove her.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They would arrive in Tortuga within the next several hours. It didn't seem to really matter to either of the young women, though. Edward was not out of the brig, but Lupin had visited him with breakfast like she had promised, and had swooped up his dishes before anyone could check on him. Lupin had even delivered food to her friend, although it defeated the purpose of portraying a small act of kindness to her friend when the wolf found her sleeping. Her face was still blotched with tears, and she remembered waking up at several intervals in the night, still delirious with sleep, and hearing her friend sobbing bitterly.

She hadn't known what to do at the time, and she still didn't know at the moment. Bishquet was quiet, quieter than she's ever heard from her friend and it made Lupin fretful and overly worrisome. She answered as little and as quietly as possible. The wolf knew her friend was bitter and angry, as well as hurt and still in a state of shock.

She kept close to her, as much as possible, and had told Bishquet Ed's words from last night. Bish had merely blinked at her a few times at the wolf, before Lupin had taken her friend up into a fierce hug, quietly promising her that Alphonse would be all right. When Bish had taken to another sleeping spell, Lupin had stayed for a while, not bothering to tuck Bish in. It was too hot for blankets, now that they were in warmer waters. When a half hour had passed, Lupin pushed herself to her feet, and quietly left the cubby to let her friend sleep in peace.

Lupin tromped onto the deck, taking in the scenery. A few gulls cawed ahead and without even thinking about it, knew they were close to land. Jack was on the quarterdeck, standing by the helm where Mr. Gibbs had control of the ship at the moment. She made for the quarterdeck, mounting the stairs. Jack gave her a faintly quick glance, but nothing more. She stood beside him and for a while, there was nothing said between the two of them.

"I did try, you know that, luv."

She said nothing. She couldn't think of anything _to_ say to him, and even if she did, she doubted she'd have the strength enough to voice it. So instead, she swallowed past the lump in her throat and balled a fist at her side, mentally trying to reinforce her resolve.

"There was simply nothing for me to do. If I could, I would have had both o' them come back, you know."

"Bullshit." She spat without realizing what she had said. Lupin blinked back her surprise and hesitated before looking to Jack. He had narrowed his eyes, ever so slightly at her, his lips drawn into a tight line.

"'Scuse me, darling, but I don't think you have the right to be saying anything at this point. Look, I know you an' your darlin' li'l club o' friends were tryin' to keep one another together, but sometimes, things don't always have a happy endin'. I am truly sorry for what has happened, but at the moment, we're on a tight schedule. Any dilly-dallying is going to result in all of us being either shanghaied into service on Jones's ship, or sent to the Locker, and I have no intention of befalling any of those two options if I can help it, all because you an' yer li'l friends want to stay together like a pack o' wild, mangy dogs."

She swallowed the lump again, but it was harder this time. She clenched her jaw tightly, fists balling up at her sides again. The words he spoke stung her, and she knew he had always held back. It wasn't for her account, or for the others. For whatever reason he's held back, she didn't know, but she knew she's never heard him speak to her or the other three before. Only with the crew did he lash out his tongue. This only hardened Lupin's resolve, but only slightly.

"And if anything happens to Alphonse," Lupin began slowly, the corners of her eyes pricking with hot tears while she glared at the man she once idolized years ago. As she spoke, she lifted her head in a proudly manner, her chin wobbling slightly. "I promise you that I will _kill_ you. I promise that for Edward, and I promise that for Bishquet. Do _you_ understand _me_?"

Her voice cracked and she sounded tearful. If she hadn't, maybe her little speech would have made a more lasting impression. Instead, Jack smiled slowly, revealing his gold teeth at her, the metal winking. He let out a single laugh.

"Now yer beginnin' to think like a pirate, darlin'." He sounded almost disappointed, but strangely enough, proud at the same time. Her jaw clenched again, but she said nothing as he walked past her, clapping her shoulder twice and went his way down the stairs. When he crossed past the trunk of a mast, he left and disappeared below decks.

Lupin still held her head up in a proudly manner, refusing to budge. She feared losing her resolve and breaking down, feeling like the lost little girl she's been getting in touch with lately.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**I wanted to get some more time with the others to build up for next chapter. And, I also wanted to get some actual fluff between Ed and Loopy, as in, **_**real**_** fluff, not almost-fluff. Haha. x3**

**Oh. OH. And, and, I have my tickets for the fucking midnight premier of **_**Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen**_**. How **_**rad**_** am I? (dances like a funky chicken) **


	46. Tortuga

**Tortuga**

**Reviewers: **

**D3athrav3n92**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Shinzochi**

**Dontmezwitme**

**KageArai**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I'm updating early because I'm in a good mood. :3**

**More character time together. I thought it would benefit the story more than to just jump straight into the Tortuga scene so unceremoniously. X3 I thought about building UP to it would be more beneficial as well, so yay. Character times. **

…**And from all the reviews I got, it makes me even sadder than before to put Al on the **_**Flying Dutchman**_**! Seriously. xD**

…**The new _Transformers_**** movie was fucking AMAZING. I just…shhhh. Let me enjoy my spazzing. x3 I'll be dreaming of Peter Cullen's sexy voice for a while now…and Johnny Depp, too, but that's besides the point. xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Jack: **_More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy? What do you think?  
**Will: **__…It'll linger.  
**Jack:**__ I'll tell you, mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would _ever_ feel unwanted.  
**Jack and Will, **__**Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The ship Elizabeth had stowed away upon had hit the docks of Tortuga in the early afternoon. The crew immediately set off to work, mooring off the ship—_Deliverance_—and the men were all over the port, making trades and purchasing goods. The men were surprised at the good nature at most of the occupants, especially the captain. The captain was especially grateful that, unlike the now East India Company-run ports, there were no berthing tariffs, no port fees, nothing of the sort. Just free and easy trade, like it used to be before Lord Cutler Beckett and his ilk had invaded the Caribbean and imposed these impossible taxes.

As soon as all the crewmembers and their captain's backs were turned, Elizabeth slipped away from them, unheeded and unnoticed. She had gone to great trouble to ensure her true sex had remained a secret. She'd gone to greater lengths to make sure she did not appear too visible to the crew or the captain. She seemed to succeed, for no one seemed to notice her disappearance enough to come looking for her.

The town of Tortuga was different; a complete culture shock. It was much more shocking to Elizabeth than that of when she had come to Port Royal all those years ago. She remembered it had taken her time to get used to all the colored people she saw when she arrived; something that she had never seen in London, but it had been fascinating for the longest time to her as a growing young woman. Now she stared at all sorts of men and women of color and non, mingling with one another as though they were all of the same color. She heard different languages smother one another, drowning one out and not the other, snippets of English, French, Spanish, and several others she couldn't identify.

Trading went on continuously all day, and she had so little time before dark would settle. Elizabeth set to work when she realized she'd wasted an hour taking in all of Tortuga's tiny community and found some of Jack's usual haunts. If she found Jack, she reasoned, then she would most likely find Will.

She found several of the haunts to be dead-ends, but she strangely noted when nobody seemed to find it unusual that she was looking for Captain Jack Sparrow. In fact, some actually stated quite bluntly they either thought he was dead, owed him money in small or large amounts, or that he wasn't even in the Caribbean, that he was overseas plundering India or drunk in Singapore. Elizabeth had even gotten one ridiculous story where Jack had been last spotted somewhere in the Atlantic, battling great sea dragons. It all seemed farfetched, and she doubted he was doing any of the above, except for perhaps the drinking part.

She often went back to the wharfs to check for black sails and a black husk of a ship. She questioned some of the sailors down there, some ships that had arrived as well when she could get a single word in with the busy men. None of them claimed to have seen the Black Pearl, not in many a month. This discouraged Elizabeth and she found herself back in town, rechecking some places that held promise, even if it was small.

Elizabeth found herself weary when the twilight hour finally arrived, casting the Caribbean into dusk. Tortuga was cast in yellow, orange and stark red lighting. That was when the trade ended and the rowdiness began. Shots began firing around dusk. Alcoholic beverages of all sorts—although rum seemed to be the dominant drink of the town—appeared from almost every orifice, and people chased one another with either swords or guns. Voluptuous women with wry smiles and many with rather unorthodox faces smeared in makeup came to play.

The women teased and baited men left and right, while the drunkards quickly began their fill of the night. She almost found herself slamming into the captain of the _Deliverance_ at one point, trying to make her round back across town, but she was thankful to see him veer off in another direction and into a tavern she'd already checked out and found it a dead end.

The daughter of governor found it difficult to believe what was so appealing about a place like this, but then again, she was not used to it. She moved across town once more, trying to find the one place she had not visited yet. She hesitated on asking anyone, really. She didn't trust anyone in this town. She also felt that no one in this town trusted anyone else, either.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Edward was surprised when Jack himself had come down to free him from the brig. Jack had taken his sweet time, sauntering towards the door of the cell, and took even longer to pick through the keys. Jack knew what key it was that unlocked the cell, and Edward knew that he knew. He was merely toying with him. Edward did not rise to the bait. He waited patiently, with a colored tone of annoyance just beneath the surface as he sat in his corner, glowering ever so subtly towards the man, lips drawn into a compressed line.

Frankly, he was angry. He wanted to flog this man, strangle and beat him half to death and then do it all over again with a vengeance. What he had done to his brother was unforgivable and he was loathed to think he still needed this man. But, reasoning on Lupin's behalf earlier, when she had brought him lunch a few hours after breakfast, he listened to reason. They needed Jack. And Edward understood that it was not only of Jack's volition that had allowed Alphonse to go with Will onboard the _Flying Dutchman_.

Alphonse had willingly taken Ed's place.

When Lupin had repeated this to him carefully, she'd given him a watery smile, looking ready to cry again, but she had looked away for a few long seconds and then looked back at him.

"_We both kinda called you…useless in the water._" She had tried to laugh, but it came out as an awkward hiccup instead. "_Sorry._"

It had brought a small, if grim, smile to his lips.

He only kept telling himself that Jack hadn't been the only willing party to let Alphonse go. He kept reminding himself, and it was what kept him from leaping up at Jack and thrashing the pirate. He knew he could do it, too. Edward had a feeling Jack knew it as well.

Finally, Jack "found" the correct key and slid it into the keyhole, turned it and unlocked the door. It swung open on creaking hinges, and Jack stood aside, holding the metal bars in one hand, the keys in the other. He made a small motion to Edward that he was free to go. Ed stayed where he was for the longest time before slowly picking himself up.

Jack closed the door behind him and placed a broad hand on Edward's shoulder. He tensed, but did nothing else. "Walk with me, son."

He grimaced at the term, but complied, if grudgingly. Edward wanted nothing more than to throttle the man, but he continued keeping his temper in check with great restraint. Jack said nothing if he noticed and he led the way, the items at his belts and sash clinking against one another softly whenever they met mid-air.

Edward kept himself in check. It was difficult, but doable. And he had to remember that his brother and Will could very well be looking for the key Jones had. If anyone could get the job done, it was most definitely his brother, over him. However, even the thought of his brother aboard that ship because of Jack's selfishness, however, kept his temper flaring up on occasion. He grit his teeth and clenched his jaw at Jack, glaring heavily at the pirate.

Jack looked him over, lips pinched together, while his face remained unreadable. A hand placed itself over the butt of his pistol. It was a habit that Edward noticed in Jack early on; when his hands did not flail about, one of them was almost always on the butt of his gun. It was almost as if he was reassuring himself that it was there…or because he was always expecting—with a high sense of paranoia—that someone might try to overtake him without warning. Edward kept his eye on the gun, knowing that even if he got the jump on Jack, the pirate still had a gun. The former alchemist knew he was nowhere near invincible, no matter how lucky he's been so far in his life.

"Let's you and I get something very clear on level with us two here," Jack began. Ed narrowed his eyes slightly. "I am the captain of this ship. What I say, it goes. You do not question it or you'll end up back in the brig, savvy? And it was not as long as I would have normally allowed. Another thing you should be aware was, yer brother went aboard the _Flying Dutchman_ of his own willing volition, an' I doubt he would have listened to dear ol' Jack if I told 'im otherwise. I can see where he gets his stubbornness from quite clearly now. Reckless, even."

Edward crossed his arms over his chest, the sleeves of his tattered cotton shirt rolled up to help cool him down in the severe Caribbean heat. Jack eyed the arm Edward had so flagrantly displayed, and the man leaned back slightly away from it, the glint of a gold tooth catching the light. Ed's own automail caught the same stream of light and gleamed dully beneath it. Edward would have smiled at the small sign of nervousness Jack presented him, but kept his face as neutral and blank as possible.

"And I can promise you one thing, Jack. If anything happens to my brother, you're a dead man. You got me?"

His tone colored many promises other than the obvious. Edward waited with narrowed eyes and tense muscles, aching and begging to relax, or at the very least, let loose on the man before him. He calmed himself, if forcefully, while Jack's lips twitched again and he noticed that quick flicker of the pirate's eyes towards his automail once again.

"You know, you are the second person to threaten my life about yer brother's. Quite a fancy following he's got."

"He's the only family I've got left. You expect me to turn my back on him?" Edward growled in retaliation.

"Not necessarily. But mind yer tongue, lad. I've being lenient and you'd best take that to yer advantage, duck yer head down an' go back to work. I'm not letting you out because I want to. I'm lettin' you out because I still need you."

Edward snorted derisively. "Right, you need me to be used like a pawn in your game."

Jack's demeanor changed suddenly. His face grew sterner, perhaps even darker and his eyes took on a much different light. They flickered darkly and the man's lips drew into a very thin line, eyes narrowing at him and his whole stance no longer swayed in time with the ship's movements. It straightened up completely, throwing up another two or so inches to Jack's height, only making him taller than Edward.

"Son," Jack started slowly, his words taking a sharper edge to them. "I would highly suggest you learn to keep your head down, before you have it taken off. I've been lenient and I have been lax with you, yer brother, an' the two young lasses. But when I receive the feeling of mutiny, do not think I won't hesitate to throw the lot of you to the dark depths below. And for a fact, I know you can't swim. Do not tempt me, man, for I'm starting to get tired of yer belligerent attitude towards me. Be lucky you weren't given a harsher punishment than a confined period of time to the brig."

The pirate tilted his head slightly, eyeing Edward carefully before sighing heavily. "Go an' grab something to eat before the Devil takes you down to the fiery depths, you look like hell, mate."

Edward exhaled sharply and turned on his heel, hands stuffed into his pockets. "Thanks, but no thanks. I already ate not too long ago."

The former alchemist was satisfied by the deep silence that came from Jack. He did, however, miss the light tugging of a small, faint smile at Jack's lips after Edward had said this. He would have found it a little more amusing, knowing that the captain figured out who the little rat had been that snuck him food.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Tortuga seemed like a long way off and it was only in the cover of the night when they finally made it to the town and island of Tortuga. Everything and everyone was in a flurry whilst plans went underway, although everyone remembered vividly the exchange between their captain and the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_. They were to collect ninety-eight souls for Davy Jones in return for Jack to keep his soul. They had no qualms in surrendering someone else's soul to keep their jobs. It was either help Jack or be forced to serve on Jones's ship in retaliation and they preferred the lesser of two evils.

Bish had woken up by the time they pulled into Tortuga. Her face was blotched with tears from crying and her eyes still slightly red and puffy. Lupin had remained, for most of the day, with her friend. They mostly sat in silence, listening in on the work of the men above, although Bish had begun talking between the intervals of silence. Lupin joined, more than glad to break the ice amid the two of them. It helped her feel more useful, trying to get her friend to talk.

"I hope he's all right." Bish finally stated quietly, curled up on her makeshift cot.

Lupin exhaled deeply, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders into a comforting hug, resting her head on her friend's shoulder.

"He is."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"But how do you _know?_ Do you have a crystal ball somewhere in your luggage you're not telling me about?" Bish asked with a slightly clipped tone. Lupin retaliated with a long period of silence. The men scuffled above on boots and bare feet. The distant shouts and gunshots rang from town, tinny bouts of laughter rising above the activity in Tortuga. A part of her longed to see it while most of her wished to stay and sit with her friend and wait this out.

After a while, she answered, "I don't know, not…not really, not physically or by being able to see, but… I know he'll be all right. Okay? If…if this was switched, you'd tell me not to give up on believing that, if Edward had been forced to stay instead. So, I'm telling you that. Don't you dare give up on believing Al's not all right, 'cuz he is."

Bish did not look at her friend. She stared ahead into blank space instead and finally buried her face against her arms and knees.

"I know…I'm just so fucking tired, my nerves are shot to shit and I'm just…" Bish's voice cracked with a dry sob. "I don't know what I'm gonna do anymore. I don't know if this is gonna work anymore, I mean…what if we go home? Then what? Do we just, I don't know, go back to regular life, like nothing's happened? I don't want that, I want…"

She stifled another sob and Lupin felt her own tears prick at her eyes and she closed her eyes. She tried to force down the hot liquid against her eyelids again. "I know. I don't wanna think about it—,"

"And what about Alphonse? What're we gonna do? I mean, that-that monster thing is gonna attack Will, and if Al's with him—oh, Godammit! I'm so sick of this place! I want to go home! I wish this hadn't happened and this whole stupid…place didn't fucking _exist_ anymore!"

Bish shook with that built in rage and pain once more, a few sobs wracking her frame. Lupin felt that inner click of sisterly instinct kick in and she shifted, bringing her friend into a tight hug. Bish hugged back just as tightly, if not more so, sobbing against her shoulder. "I _hate_ this fucking place. I hate it, _I hate it._ I want to go _home_. I want Alphonse to come_ back_, and I just wish Davy Jones would go _fuck_ himself."

"Wish you could say that to his face?" Lupin tried to attempt at a joke with a watery laugh.

Bish sniffled, bringing a hand up to wipe at her eyes. "No. I don't like people with tentacle-y beards… That guy's fucking whacked, I swear to God."

Lupin nodded, but did only just that. She didn't trust herself to speak anymore, she felt like she was going to crack herself. She felt it to be too much pressure, and she wished she could do more. She wished she could turn back time and fix everything. She wished she could make her friend happy, get Davy Jones off Jack's back and make Tia Dalma help them. But everything seemed to be falling apart, and she wished more, above everything else, that she had seen this coming, that she had taken precautions against all of this.

But she was just a high school graduate, not even a college freshman. She had not a damned clue how she was supposed to fix any of this, let alone a vaguely appealing and logical plan that could help. All she could do was try to get by, try to survive. It seemed this was the only way things seemed to be working now: surviving and scraping by whatever way they could.

"Loopy?"

"Hm?"

"Promise me one thing. Please?"

"What is it?"

"…Promise me…things will be okay. And that things will get better."

She laughed. She couldn't help it. She even elicited a smile from her friend, albeit it was small.

"I can promise…things will get better, but…they're gonna get worse first." Bish frowned, worry in her eyes. "But I promise that things will get better after that. We just…" She paused. "We just need to look out for one another, all right?"

Bish reached for Lupin's hand and gave it a hard, thankful squeeze. Lupin held it, smiling again, even when she knew she'd finally cracked and had finally broken down. "We're gonna get through this."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Mr. Gibbs, is everything in order upon my ship?"

"Straight as I can get it."

"An' the list of supplies is to be had?"

Jack paced, slipping his coat on. He reached up to adjust his hat, swiped at empty air and frowned momentarily at that. He brought his hand back down slowly and placed it on the butt of his pistol.

"Aye, Cap'n. All's been listed out of what we have, and what we need."

"Good man. Now all we need is a crew of about…ninety-eight, was it?" Jack paused, looking over the working backsides of his men.

"Aye." Mr. Gibbs responded once again.

Jack nodded curtly. "Good. Mr. Gibbs, you're with me. We'll go into town, rustle up the crew and be off with them an' the supplies."

"And after that?" Mr. Gibbs inquired. Jack paused.

"We'll see." He merely responded after a while. Jack turned and made a noise, hands thrown up defensively at the smaller frame standing directly behind him. Lupin stood before him, a determined blue-gray fire blazing in her eyes, fists on her hips and one hip thrust to the side. She did not seem to have the intention of moving aside for him, so he made to sidestep her. She moved in the same direction as he did.

"I'm coming with you into town, Jack." She stated. It was not a question or a request, but a clear and sound statement that flew out of her little mouth. Jack paused and Mr. Gibbs peered at the wolf disapprovingly.

"I don't believe that is a terribly bright idea, Ms. Hawkins. It would be best if you'd stay here on the ship and—,"

"And do what, exactly? Worry myself to death? Be useless and just sit on my ass, twiddle my thumbs, and hope for the bloody best that things will work out and everyone has a happy ending?" Lupin snapped unceremoniously. She regretted doing so to Mr. Gibbs; he had been nothing but kind and perhaps even familial towards her and Bish and more sensitive towards them than some of the other men had been previously before. While he sometimes found some things strange and disorderly between the two women, he didn't question or provoke such a response. But, anger made people snappish, brutal and bitchy. Lupin found she was no exception when she caved into the ugly red emotion of anger.

She was tired of being useless, of just sitting on the sidelines and not being able to do anything. She wanted to do something. She wanted to help somehow. Lupin didn't want a repeat of the cannibal island incident. She didn't want to wait any longer for things to come to her. She wanted to go to them. She felt she had to.

Turning back to Jack, she stared him down as forcefully as she had done so before, lips jerked in a furious frown, brows pinched together. "I'm going, whether you like it or not. I'm not going to sit by anymore. Not like last time."

He watched her carefully; face unreadable to her even now. When she had studied him to draw his portrait (which was partially completely by now), she had hoped to glean a better understanding of how his mind worked by pinpointing facial expressions. Lies, she could detect easily, if they were subtle or obvious. Harder ones she usually relied on her gut to catch up on. She could also tell when he was drunk, but was hiding it. And there were others, but for the most part…she failed when it came to understanding a man who didn't want to be understood on the outside or in.

"Luv, Tortuga isn't the kind of town you can just waltz into an' be fine an' dandy with. This isn't Tripoli, or any of the other towns we've visited."

"You can't change my mind, Jack. I'm going. End of discussion." He watched her with more scrutiny, narrowing his eyes at her. For the longest time, there was silence between herself, Jack, and Mr. Gibbs. Then Jack finally sighed heavily.

"Stay close. If you get lost, don't expect me to come looking fer you. If we leave, and you are left behind, we will not come back for you. Savvy?"

She straightened up and seemed to stand an inch or two taller, meeting his gaze directly.

"Aye, sir. I doubt I'll be stupid enough to get myself left behind, though."

He gave her a smile and clapped a broad hand on her shoulder and made to walk past her, but paused, his grip on her shoulder tightening. He stepped backwards and frowned suddenly. Lupin felt her pride deflate, her victory die out, having lived a short life. "What?"

Jack reached up and tugged at her hair. She withheld a wince, frowning. "I'd suggest finding something to hide yer hair an' be quick about it. But, not with yer…fascinating hat with its little baubles and buttons o' sorts. As…cute…as it may be, it is something that stands out a little too much, even fer me tastes. Find some bandana and tie it over yer head. Dirty yer face."

"…It…it is dirty."

"Well, then dirty it even more. A young lady like yerself wanderin' the streets of Tortuga is going to be askin' fer trouble, luv. I'd suggest you ward it off as best ye can." He glanced her up and down before glancing at Mr. Gibbs. "Go on, then, I'll be there within a minute, Mr. Gibbs."

The weathered seadog hesitated before giving a curt nod to the both of them and walked briskly away. Jack looked up at the masts, the lines that helped maintain the sails, and around the shrouds. He looked back at her. "How's she doing?"

The question threw Lupin off before understanding sunk in. She studied him, trying to search his face for anything suspicious. If there was anything to be suspicious about, she couldn't see it.

"Upset." She finally answered brusquely. "And frankly, I don't blame her, either." She paused, sighing. "But I do blame myself for not…for not objecting. For just…standing there and letting him go."

"You did yer best—,"

"I could've done better." She swallowed thickly. "I could have done better than I did and now I think is the time to do something rather than nothing."

He regarded her with an almost lazy air about him. "So, you're thinking that helping me to gather innocent lives to give to Davy Jones will justify yer…inactions, I take it."

"I don't exactly agree with the method…but if it can help, I'll do it." She retained that hardy and determined glare in her eyes once again. "You were saying I needed something to cover my head, yes?"

Jack blinked at her, then nodded. "Best hurry it up, then. Go on then, be gone with ye. We'll be gone within the next few minutes."

Lupin waited, studying him before she nodded in silent agreement and turned on her heel, leaving him.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Please review, they give me warm fuzzies inside. Critiques are even better! :D I'll be betting you can't wait for the next chapter, aye? x3 And wish me luck for Saturday the 27th; I'll be doing an all-day Marines' version of a track and field day event. xD I'll be in dodgeball and the flex-arm hang events! Wewt! :D**


	47. Conspiracy Theory

**Conspiracy Theory**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Shinzochi**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Dontmezwitme**

**Yaoiluvr**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**OoOoOoOoOoO **

_When did the future switch from being a promise to being a threat?  
**- Chuck Palahniuk**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I'm going into town."

Lupin was too busy tying the old bandana she had over her head to notice the quiet stare she was being given by her friend. However, Lupin knew she was being given the critical gaze from her friend, she could feel it on her backside. Then the quietness turned into a frown. The frown showed visible disapproval, but Bish said nothing until Lupin faced her. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean…this _is_ a pirate place, ya know? It's not exactly…friendly. If that sounds appropriate for this place."

Bish was still frowning and Lupin matched it with one of her own. She knelt by her friend and studied her face before hugging her. "I'll be fine. I promise I'll come back, and in one piece, all right?"

Bish shrugged when they pulled apart. "I still don't think it's a good idea, but…if you think it's for the best. I won't stop you, but I don't exactly condone to it."

"Just remember I'll be bringing back a Lizzie Swann, savvy?" The wolf smiled reassuringly. Bish faintly returned the favor as Lupin stooped over, picking up her trench coat and threw it on. It looked so old and haggard that it was difficult to even tell if it was from this time period or from hers. Faintly, at the back of her mind, she promised to purchase another one for herself when she could. Her hair was hidden away, her clothing having been switched out for the more century-appropriate theme, although her boots were still the same. She figured nobody would notice very well in the dimly lit streets and tavern of Tortuga.

Bish looked the wolf up and down, head tilted to the side. Lupin sheathed the sword she often used for practice, although she was lacking the gun she sometimes used. In all honesty, Lupin looked more like a pirate than she cared to think about. She could even act like one, at times. It was sometimes…scary.

"Just be careful. All right?" She answered softly. She still disapproved. Bish did not want Lupin going, but she couldn't stop her, not unless Bish decided to try and wrestle the small young woman and somehow hog-tie her to stay on the ship. It didn't seem to be worth the effort, as drained as she was, though.

Lupin paused, then smiled softly at her friend. "Always."

With a last quick hug, she dashed off and made her way topside, looking around. A refreshing wind picked up and she silently reveled in it after a long, hot day. She saw Jack and Mr. Gibbs, waiting near the gangplank. Jack was conversing hurriedly with the other men, Pintel and Ragetti among them. She kept prodding at her bandana, hoping that her baubles were hidden away properly. She figured she didn't have the boyish enough face to pull them off properly and it'd only seem girlier on her. She assumed it would only accentuate the womanly aspect of her and after she had thought upon Jack's words, he was right.

Tortuga really wouldn't be a town for a young woman like her. But, a young cabin boy, barely peaking the age of fourteen or so would be just fine. She was sure she looked younger than usual, and she certainly didn't have much of a cup size on her chest to hide. In fact, if she had taken proper measures, she could probably bound down her small breasts with some bandages and make herself appear more like a young boy than the nineteen year old she was.

Jack hadn't spotted her yet. She moved forward, suddenly feeling more self-conscious. What if she couldn't pull off the old gender-bender trick very well? She pushed down that thought as quickly as it came. If Elizabeth could do it, than dammit to hell, so could she! It was just a matter of confidence, wasn't it? And people were more ignorant and superstitious in this time period. At the very least, honest sailors and dirty-dealing pirates were. Plus, plenty of men were drunk in town; they shouldn't be too well off in recognizing her as a female.

…Hopefully.

So caught up in her whirling thoughts, Lupin didn't even notice the figure swooping down upon her until it had clamped onto her arm and she jolted, surprised. Twirling, she came face to face with Edward, who peered down at her in a curious manner. For a moment, neither of them said anything and Ed let go of her arm. She blinked several times, finally finding the proper words and she cleared her throat.

"Ah. Sorry. I didn't hear you, what?"

"I never said anything."

"Oh…" She glanced down at her feet, embarrassed. Then she brought her face back up. "I'm going into town. I'll, uh, I'll be back, in a few hours I mean. So, just…could you keep Bish some company, if you can?"

His frown remained on his face. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be going into town."

He glanced up as several more shots from the nightlife of Tortuga rang out sharply. Lupin watched him, unsure of how to reply. A part of her agreed with him, knew he was right. But her gut told her she should go into town. Finally, she stated, "I'll be fine. I promise. Just…please? Please, just, sit with her."

Edward hesitated at the persistent request, and just as she was doing to him, he studied her face. He grabbed hold of her face suddenly and she froze, feeling a chill run down her spine from the cold metal of his right hand. He turned her face and tucked away something near the back of her ear before releasing her face. "Try not to stand out too much, all right?"

She blinked at him several times before nodding mechanically. "I will."

Then she pulled him into a hug, holding on tight. He didn't respond for a few moments before he returned the gesture with fervor. In his ear, Lupin quietly said, "I'll be safe, I promise. It's just for a few hours, so don't get so worked up, savvy?"

"Just don't get shot, all right? I hear anymore guns for much longer, I'm gonna get a permanent ring in my ears." He chuckled back at her. She returned the laugh. Edward was glad to hear her laugh again. He pulled away and looked ahead. "Jack's waiting." He growled unpleasantly before looking to her. "Better get going."

Lupin smiled slightly, nodded to him and turned away, walking quickly after a retreating Jack and Mr. Gibbs.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The town was in a riot, as she had predicted. And yet, she had never seen such a raucous town before, never in her life, except for in movies. She almost half-expected Mardi Gras to be something similar to this—an event she's always dreamed of going to and participating in—but not quite so…audacious. It just didn't seem like it should be real, more staged for a Broadway show than anything. And yet, here she was, standing in the strident town of Tortuga, and in its prime years three hundred years before her time, no doubt.

Lupin couldn't help herself and she stared with wide-eyed amazement and awe, flinching when a voluptuous woman would come waltzing around her, heading directly towards Mr. Gibbs or Jack. Once or twice she was approached herself and had them hang on her shoulders, nearly making her collapse under their weight. When she had managed to detangle herself from all accounts, she nearly lost Jack or Mr. Gibbs in the crowd. Thankfully, she located them. The last encounter made her swell with silent, profound pride that she must have done a decent job of looking like a young cabin boy; the women certainly seemed to think she was definitely _not_ female. Otherwise, she doubted she'd have even been approached by anyone of the same sex.

The tavern they found themselves in was several times calmer than the outside of it was. People milled about, munching on food, drinking ale and rum and other sorts of liquor, conversing with one another. Music played jauntily in the background, happily going about their own business. They approached the bar, and ordered several bottles of rum. Jack handed two of them to Lupin. "Here, lad, make yerself useful an' carry these. Do _not_ drop them or it'll be th' brig fer a month fer you."

The barkeeper grinned widely when he heard this and laughed, exposed gaps where teeth used to be. Apparently, hearing about punishments being threatened to cabin boys was entertainment to the barkeeper. Lupin ducked her wide-eyed gaze before replying in her British lilted accent, "Aye, sir. I'll keep 'em safe."

She did just that, holding tightly to the bottles and followed after Jack and Mr. Gibbs. Near the back, Jack ordered Mr. Gibbs and Lupin to help set up a table for a sign-up roster and he took one of the bottles from her hands before settling down close by. Mr. Gibbs set two chairs in the table, pulled out the paper, inkwell and pen he had with him. Candles were found and promptly put on the table and lit. When all was finished, he cleared his throat, looking at her pointedly.

"Best keep yer mouth shut while I handle this. I'd say go and wander about, but, well…" He bobbed his head back and forth. He didn't need to say anymore. Lupin caught the drift. She nodded and quietly sat down, holding the bottle she was left with and she brought it to her lips and took a swig. The fire in her mouth burned, but soon settled warmly in the pit of her stomach. The taste was welcoming and it helped settle her shot nerves.

It took a while for people to start coming. Nobody seemed to take notice of the table with the signing roster on it, nor the two that sat at the table, handling the sign up. When they finally gained interest in one person, Mr. Gibbs elbowed Lupin in the ribs and told her to sit up and look smart. She did, keeping her eyes up and sharp while Mr. Gibbs handled the situation, his hands laced together on the table in an orderly fashion. He spoke to the person they were approached by, an elderly man, who was leaning on a walking stick.

"And what makes you think you're worthy to crew the _Black Pearl_?" Mr. Gibbs finally asked.

The man smiled and answered earnestly. Not once did he glance at Lupin. She was grateful for it. After the elderly man, another was right behind him. The lines unconsciously snaked their way into her skull, bouncing around before the man even answered Gibbs's question. Jack, still at his table, began rattling his compass around. Lupin stole a glance over with a frown. The second man signed the roster underneath the first man's.

"Me 'ave one arm an' a bum leg."

The comment brought Lupin back to the task at hand. She took another sip of her rum, She noted that she had only drank a little over half of her first bottle, while Gibbs had already started on his second. By the fourth man, Jack already asked, "How're we going?"

"Including those four?" Mr. Gibbs stated, looking to Jack pointedly. "That gives us…_four_."

She repressed the laugh she had built up in her throat and it turned into a cough. Mr. Gibbs glanced at her for a split second before someone else approached the table. Lupin's heart froze on its next beat, already knowing what would happen, knowing who it was.

"And what's your story?" Mr. Gibbs asked, completely oblivious as to whom he was speaking with.

"My story…it's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas." There was a sharp click that couldn't have been louder for Lupin. She stole another fleeting look towards Jack and saw him glance around while the man before them continued, "The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life."

He reached for Lupin's bottle. She retreated her hands under the table slowly, not minding one bit. She had suddenly lost her taste for the stuff.

Recognition finally fired up on Mr. Gibbs's face. Cautiously, he ventured towards the dirtied man, "Commodore?"

"No, not anymore! Weren't you _listening?_" Norrington snapped unceremoniously at him. Lupin's hand drifted to the hilt of her sword, fingers twitching every now and then, muscles tightening up slowly. The grubby face that had once been so impeccably clean and well shaved came closer. Mr. Gibbs's hands had long ago detangled themselves from one another. "I nearly had you all off Tripoli."

Memories flashed across Lupin's mind, vivid and evocatively fresh. _The red bloom of the dead sailor's chest grew redder and larger, spilling onto the wharf's grounds—_

She stopped thinking about it, forcing herself to focus on anything else. A fearful shudder, however, could not be stopped and her skin broke out in a case of gooseflesh.

"I would have, if it weren't for that _hurricane_."

Jack was already trying to hide himself. Neither Lupin nor Mr. Gibbs noticed.

"Lord. You didn't try to sail _through_ it?"

Norrington ignored the inquiry.

"So do I make your crew, or not?"

Lupin coiled her muscles, ready to respond.

"You haven't said where you're going." Norrington sharply continued. Lupin was already out of the seat before the table flipped. "_Somewhere nice!_"

She hesitated drawing the sword at her hip, glancing back to see where Jack was. He wasn't at his seat. The music and chatter had stopped altogether. Norrington had brought his angry tirade to the public's notice.

"So am I _worthy_ to sail under _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?"

Lupin felt no amount of hesitation in her any longer when she drew the sword just as Norrington drew and cocked his gun. Suddenly she wished she had taken Bish's advice and stayed on board the _Pearl_. She snarled at Norrington, scrunching her face into a horrible scowl. "Drop it! I mean it!"

Norrington glanced at her, smiled mockingly and turned back to Jack. She may have felt no hesitation to draw the sword, but she had fear rooting her to the spot from daring to even use it. She was especially hesitant to go up against a man with years' worth of notches under his belt when it came to swordsmanship. Plus…he had a gun. She didn't.

"Or, should I just kill you now?" Norrington continued, watching the piratical captain.

Jack peered around his crop of greenery, his cover blown as he half-hid behind the plant, and the support beam in front of him. He moved to one side. The gun followed. He turned to the other side. The persistent barrel and its bloody owner were still trained on him. Jack smiled charmingly and announced, "You're hired!"

"Sorry." Norrington smiled unkindly. "Old habits and all that."

His finger was on the trigger, ready to blow. The sailors that had signed the roster earlier jumped in to intervene. They grabbed at Norrington, yanking his firing arm up. "Easy sailor!"

"That's our cap'n you're t'reatenin'!"

The gun shot off and the bullet ricocheted off the hanging chandelier above them, bounced off the metal and slammed into a drinking sailor's bottle of liquor. It began an immediate riot as loud and rambunctious as the ones taking place outside. The music began its spry outburst once again to the livelihood of the sudden change of atmosphere.

The world exploded into a fast-paced frenzy: bottles were tossed haphazardly around, shots were fired, and punches were landed in a fiery passion behind each of them. Norrington had been no different. Immediately after he had been released, he relentlessly joined into the battle against the bars attendees, pistol in one hand and the bottle of rum in the other.

Lupin hesitated a great deal, avoiding getting bowled over by a man who had just been punched and sent reeling. She finally let out an aggravated growl, losing track of where Jack and Mr. Gibbs had gone. Everyone was taller than her, and a sea of frothing, writhing, moving bodies around her. Suddenly, she was sent back to her senior prom, where everyone in their beautiful, glittering dresses and sharp, crisp tuxedos towered over her. Now, the pirates in these parts were _not_ crisp _or_ beautiful, but they sure made up in height over her.

"Jack! Mr. Gibbs!"

The crowd drowned out her call. Bodies pushed against her, and she pushed back with her shoulder. Panic began to grow cold and hard in the middle of her chest, making her breathing suddenly very difficult and shallow. She felt terrifyingly close to hyperventilating. Forcefully, however, she tried calming herself. A cry from above sent her head to crane upwards and she saw a man hanging from one of the chandeliers. Another was tossed over the balcony and he fell upon several men. The music continued to fiddle away, happily and merrily without pause. Lupin finally caught sight of Jack with Mr. Gibbs trailing after him, but she hesitated, hearing swords clang and she whirled. Her eyes widened momentarily when she caught sight of Elizabeth, her sword drawn and she furiously taking on several men like a wildcat. Her eyes flew back to where she tentatively remembered Jack and Mr. Gibbs were supposed to be about now. She saw them start to mount the stairs, where Jack was hat searching, and a bottle flew and exploded as Jack bent down for the hat. Her eyes settled back to Elizabeth. Her legs had been feeling like jelly for the past few minutes before she found them hardened up once again. Lupin dashed into the heart of chaos. Norrington's bottle was smashed by a sword, but had already replaced his gun with his sword. Madly, he continued fighting off many of the other drunken men with just as equal, albeit drunk, fury. Elizabeth drew closer to the former Commodore. Lupin was at her backside.

Elizabeth backed a man into a beam and punched him solidly in the face. The man began to slump, his grip loosening on the bottle in his hand. Norrington leaned against the same post, looked at the bottle and seized it. Elizabeth whirled on Lupin suddenly, and the wolf threw up her own sword in her defense. Elizabeth began relentlessly pounding at Lupin, and suddenly, Lupin realized perhaps she did overdo it on her guise.

"Wait, wait! I know you're looking for Jack!" She shouted. Elizabeth stopped her fervor, chest heaving, eyes dancing from the blaze of the battle.

"What?"

More men came at them from both sides. They turned and began to fight back to back, disabling them. Lupin was surprised at how well she's learned the sword, and soon the surprise turned down the lane of impressed. She grinned a little for a moment before she was grabbed by the arm and turned roughly around. Behind them, Norrington was still carrying on.

"How do you know who I'm looking for?" Elizabeth demanded of her, eyes burning furiously. Lupin didn't know whether it was directed at her or the fight.

Lupin swallowed, thought up a lie quickly and dispersed it just as quickly. "I know Will! H-He was on the _Pearl_, not long ago! I can take you to the _Black Pearl_! Honest!"

Elizabeth narrowed her expression at Lupin, looked her over once, and then nodded curtly, lips pressed thinly together. She glanced over her shoulder before giving Lupin a final yank. "Come on!"

The music finally stopped, and the bar was only filled with the sounds of bullying men, swords clanging with the resonance of metal on metal, and women themselves screeching in their corners. Men came at their backs. Elizabeth reacted first, Lupin the second and they found themselves suddenly backed against the same beam Norrington had found himself pressed up against. For a terrifying, fleeting moment, Lupin realized that they were completely surrounded by itchy fingered, trigger or sword happy men, all of them glowering at her, Elizabeth and especially Norrington. Following Elizabeth's example beside her, she kept her back unavailable for stabbing or shooting by pressing against the wooden beam, and her front and sides covered by her sword.

"Come on, then! Who wants some?" Norrington shouted above the lowing jeers. "Form an orderly line and I'll have you all, one by one!" He sneered. "Come on, then, _who's first?_"

Elizabeth turned and snatched the bottle from Norrington's hand and smashed it against his head. He didn't know what had hit him and frankly, he probably never would. The former Commodore fell in a quick slump to the ground. The men around them paused, guards lowered. Lupin glanced over her shoulder as Elizabeth shouted, "I just wanted the pleasure of doing that myself!"

Unanimous shouts of agreement colored the air and bottles were raised in honor of the defeat of the dreaded bar fight starter. Elizabeth turned back to Lupin as she sheathed her own sword, studying the young woman.

"You told me I could find Jack. Where?"

"The wharfs. Docks. Whatever. Where the ships chill."

For a split moment, Lupin realized she'd slipped at the most inopportune of moments. Elizabeth gave Lupin the queerest look and eyed her more guardedly.

"'_Chill_'? I'm not quite sure I understand that, but…I think know what you're trying to say." Elizabeth paused, looking over Lupin once more. Briefly, a flash of surprise colored the woman's eyes. She asked cautiously, "You're not a…cabin boy, are you?"

Lupin grinned sheepishly and at the same time, in a rather goofy manner. "No…I'm a-a girl. Dressed like a boy…obviously."

Elizabeth almost didn't notice the men rushing towards them, and she turned suddenly at the movement, sword halfway pulled out before she saw them picking up Norrington. With another glance at the wolf, she nodded her head to follow. "Come on, we can't leave him."

She hesitated, feeling her blood chill at the thought of helping the very man who tried to capture her, who actually captured her friend and the boys. She almost wanted to say a very pleasant, "Fuck him," but instead she trotted after Elizabeth quietly, her mind whirring. The only thought that occurred to her was that she really was insane for even considering having the man aboard the _Black Pearl_. Unfortunately, Jack trumped her in that department and she had to really wonder what would happen if this man had been killed tonight, what might that change in the future?

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

A storm was brewing out somewhere else in the Caribbean, as opposed to the mild weather of Tortuga. Lightning shot throughout the sky unchecked, and thunder bellowed like some great god above them while the wind howled relentlessly, whipping the rainwater at a permanent slant. The _Flying Dutchman_ crested the storm and the sea beneath its hellish storm clouds. Men flourished in the weather, undaunted by the wind, the rain or the storm itself for that matter. Above the howls, the bellows and the cackling storm, another powerful sound took a crack at filling the night air. Davy Jones sat in his cabin, playing with deepening fervor on his large organ. Smoke shot out from the pipes occasionally, the sound delicious as it continued its tirade. Jones leaned against the keys, his tentacle beard doing all of the work, pushing against each individual key. No normal human would be able to compete against him, not when he had several hands' worth of help to play his piece. Passion and drive were pushed into the piece of work, and perhaps even a slight bit of madness as well. He laughed as he played.

Outside, the men worked tirelessly to the tune that Jones played.

"Heave! Heave! Heave!" They cried, on and on in an endless monotony order.

Will and Alphonse worked hard, soaked to the bone, but still carrying on the duties Jones had pushed on their shoulders. A hundred years before the mast, these men were sentenced to. Perhaps even more. He and Will were not. Alphonse agreed to trade places for his brother. He did not agree to the unwritten contract Jones had laid down. Maccus, the hammerhead shark-man, bellowed out a fierce cry to the heavens as they continued to heave the line he and Will were assigned to. Alphonse's muscles burned and ached, but he did not relent or slack off. He continued working. Behind them, their lines helped raise the heavy iron cannon above the deck, the goal to place it where its new home would be.

Above them, one of the men—Jimmylegs he was called—shouted above he din of working men, "Secure the mast tackle, Mr. Turner!" Will cast a sharp gaze over his shoulder and Alphonse stiffened and braced himself, tightening his grip on his piece of line. "Secure it!"

Will gave Al a brief glance before whipping forward and up the stairs to their right. Another man was racing just as fast up the second set of stairs to his left and Alphonse stared, boggled at the broad-shouldered figure. As Will ran to the mast tackle, he saw another sailor of Jones's ship already there, trying to secure it himself. He stepped in, shouting, "Step aside!"

The sailor didn't budge, his hands refusing to move from the wet and seaweed-coated line. "Hey, mind yourself!" He called back. He turned the boy, agitated when Will refused to leave. "Let go, boy!"

When the sailor turned to face Will, he stopped, slack-jawed. His light blue eyes met Will's dark brown ones and he dropped all words that had been ready to spill from his mouth. In a hushed undertone, he whispered, "No."

The line went slack and immediately was released from the sailor's hands. Unfortunately, Will had been on the receiving end of the quickly rushing rope and was yanked across the deck, dragged by the retreating line. The cannon they had all worked to lift so high above the deck came crashing down on the unsuspecting not-human sailors below. They scattered under the heavy sounds of groaning, clanking metal, shouting as they slammed on their sides, their backs, and their faces. Alphonse, if he had not been trained to react in high-pressure, split second decision situations like these, he would have been crushed by the falling cannon. When it had come crashing down, he had already leapt out of the way and to safety, but was knocked over by a collapsing sailor. The poking, sticking appendage that dug into him, however, was better than having a heavy, body-crushing cannon land on top of his head.

Above deck, Jimmylegs and another sailor, Koleniko, arrived to see still Will attached to the line and lying on his side, dazed.

"Haul that weasel to his feet!" Jimmylegs snapped. Koleniko moved forward with a grunt. Another sailor, Palifico, helped Koleniko while Jimmylegs watched with a tightening smile to his crooked lips. Palifico and Koleniko pushed Will against a mast while Jimmylegs snapped a whip out. Alphonse had already gathered with the other sailors, who were ultimately unhurt by the encounter with the cannon. There was a silence over them all. But, it wasn't a _real_ silence. There was still the howl of the wind, and the occasional rumble of the thunder above them, and the wet smatter of rain against everything around them. Then Alphonse realized that Jones's organ had stopped playing. That was what was missing in the silence of the din. Jimmylegs and his shouting brought him back and he felt his stomach clench when he heard, "Five lashes to remind you, to stay on it!"

Jimmylegs raised his arm; whip in hand, but the same sailor who had rushed off the same time as Will objected. He stopped Jimmylegs by grasping the not-human's arm and declared, "NO!"

"Impeding me in my duties…" The bo'son was practically smiling. "You'll share the punishment."

"I'll take it on," the sailor replied tersely. A shiver always ran down Alphonse's spine at Davy Jones's voice. He always found it hard not to shiver at the impenetrably looming figure that was hauling himself towards Jimmylegs and the unknown sailor.

"Will you, now? And what would _prompt_ such an act of charity?" Jones emerged through the crowd of not-humans, and Alphonse stepped away from the intimidating man. Rarely, Alphonse felt fear towards people. He knew he could always fight; he was much better than his brother. He could take care of himself and certainly protect himself. But this man was dangerous, and perhaps more so than most men and monsters he's come across. Envy, however, could probably take a close place alongside Jones. He did not trust nor would he underestimate either of them.

"My son." The sailor said, drawing Alphonse from his thoughts. Al blinked. The sailor turned to face the exposed backside of Will. "He's my son."

He felt his body go rigid and cold at this and he stared at the sailor in disbelief. There couldn't have been any way that anyone saw this coming. He didn't. He didn't even know much about Will, let alone the status of his parents. Alphonse continued to stare at the sailor's now turned backside, while Jones stepped forward with each reverberating _thunk_ of his crab leg. Will, still held by his two captors, turned his head to see the sailor who claimed to be his father, while Jones looked between the two of them.

Then the captain began to laugh. "What fortuitous circumstance be this! Five lashes be owed, I believe it is."

Alphonse felt his blood run cold all over again and he wished he could turn away. Something held him glued to his spot, however, as he watched Davy Jones take the bo'sun's whip with cold indifference. The captain thrust forth the whip towards Will's father. The man suddenly had a change of heart and cried, "No…no, I won't!"

The younger Elric brother did not blame the sailor. He could not even begin to comprehend what would have happened if it had been _his_ father in place of Will's, and he was to take the punishment, or even his brother. Even making a glancing blow on that thought made an involuntary shudder run a course up and down his spine and his stomach churn unpleasantly.

"The cat's out of the bag, Mr. Turner! Your issue will feel its sting, be it at the bo'sun's hand…or yer own."

"No…" Will's father said, almost as though underneath he were begging.

Jones tilted his head and without even looking, shouted, "_Bo'sun!_"

"NO!"

The sailor snatched the whip away from Jones and before the bo'sun could take the whip. It was now in his hands, and he stared at it, twirling the handle around as though it were an alien object. Alphonse felt useless. He could not do anything without the highly probable possibility that he would too, feel the sting of the whip if he were to intervene. He'd be useless if he was injured in any way, and he knew he'd need to help Will out to find the key. The crew stood silently by all around him, waiting almost in eager anticipation as Will's back was bared, and his own father bared the whip at his exposed flesh. Alphonse couldn't bare to see the first blow. He turned away, wincing at every sharp, snapping sound and Will's pained grunts from the sting of the whip's crack. There was nothing he could do to help and he hated it.

All he could do was stand by, a useless and silent party.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"How do I know I can trust you?"

Lupin avoided Elizabeth's narrowed expression and instead, glanced behind her to where Norrington was staggering after them in a graceless manner. Oh, boy…she was going to be chewed out and spit out by Bishquet by bringing him along. More so than if she'd bought a bloody animal and brought it back to the ship. Norrington, she also realized, might be in for a rough time as well. Then she pulled her gaze ahead of them and blinked. She smiled at Elizabeth disarmingly and pointed ahead of them.

"Because, there's Jack." She stated. Elizabeth followed her pointed finger, and then paused, staring. Without another word, the woman waltzed right on ahead, leaving Lupin behind as she walked with confidence. Norrington suddenly appeared close behind Lupin and she jumped momentarily, taken by surprise.

"Captain Sparrow."

Lupin hesitated, thinking twice of interfering. She sighed heavily and turned away, waiting for Norrington and she felt an unyielding uneasiness by being beside the man. Well, of course, why wouldn't she feel uneasy? He is the man who would—,

Norrington turned away and suddenly spewed over the side of supplies and Lupin felt a jolt of static shoot up and down her spine and she jumped away instinctively. She made a low groaning sound of disgust, turned towards Elizabeth, and paused when she saw Mr. Gibbs staring at her. He gave her a wane smile and she returned it, but his smile soon faded at the sight of Norrington. He raised a brow while Jack conversed with Elizabeth. Lupin shrugged in an, "_I dunno_" sort of way. She saw the man visibly heave his shoulders in a heavy sigh at her, shaking his head. She smiled apologetically. Jack chose that very moment to turn to Mr. Gibbs and murmured something. Mr. Gibbs took off with his bottle of rum. Lupin smirked a little, knowing the famous line even if she didn't quite catch it.

Then she saw a familiar figure approaching her from behind Jack. She politely skirted around Jack and Elizabeth as she moved to greet Edward. For only a split moment, she hesitated before she grappled the young man into a tight hug. He pulled from the embrace after a few seconds and checked over Lupin's face, frowning slightly. "Not hurt, are you?"

She shrugged. "Got into a bar fight."

Surprise flit through his eyes and he gave Jack a quick glare, but dropped it when Lupin waved a hand in his face. "Not his fault." She turned and pointed towards the former Commodore, who was currently still emptying his stomach of its liquid contents. "It was _his_ fault."

Edward's grip on her shoulders momentarily tightened and then loosened almost immediately. "What's _he_ doing here?"

"Move it, ya yeasty codpiece! These things aren't going to load themselves, you know!" Marty gruffly pushed past the two and Edward stepped aside, frowning.

"Come on, let's get out of the way." He led the way and began picking up a crate. Lupin positioned herself on the other side and helped him lift it with a grunt.

"He's here, because he's got nowhere else to go. Lost everything after the storm in Tripoli. His commission as Commodore, his ships, his crew, everything is gone. He's harmless…for the most part." She answered his question, holding back the strain in her voice as best she could. Up the gangplank they went and onboard the _Pearl_ they were, moving steadily to help load the ship.

"Yeah, but why is he _here_?"

"Y'know, that's actually a very good question. He tried shooting Jack, but y'know, when a guy offers you money for serving on a ship, I guess getting new sailors has its benefits."

There was silence on his end and Lupin waited before she felt the quietness stab at her and it mocked her. She felt the stupidity of her comment flood her and she immediately regretted saying anything in such a humorous manner. "I'm—I'm sorry, Ed. I didn't mean it like that. I-I…"

She heard him sigh as they slowly descended below decks. Several new men Lupin hadn't seen before were already scurrying about below, lashing down cargo and supplies. They paid no heed to Lupin and Edward as they made they way over. They settled the crate down and she sheepishly met his gaze when he watched her in that piercing manner of his.

"You should go and see Bishquet. Let her know you're back."

Lupin felt disbelief fill her as he tried to move back towards the stairs and she caught his arm before he could get away. "Hey." He looked back at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I really didn't mean it like that."

"I know." He gave her a faded smile before nodding back towards where she and Bish slept. "Go check up on her and keep her company. She's been…a little better. Not much, though."

Then he slowly moved away, but Lupin could still hear the hurt in his voice.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**So, yeah, I'm half asleep right now because my laptop nearly got hacked, eaten up by viruses, and I was fretting over the pants I painted the designs I drew on them to make the designs more "permanent", and I've been going to the Anime Expo in L.A. for the past few days. I'm wiped, and I've got two more days to go. I had seen many cool cosplayers out there, and even more...not-so-good ones. Plenty of them... If you wish to see the pictures, I'll have them up in a few days' time on my livejournal, so you can see the wacky adventures that I had.**

**God I need caffeine...**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I almost didn't want to post it until after the expo, but decided to be nice, since its been a little over a week, and since it's Fourth of July for the United States, I'll be generous and spread the love to everyone else out there in the world as well. :D HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO EVERYONE AND THEIR COUNTRIES! Every country has pretty much fought for their own freedom and the like, so, good on ya! Today may not be your day, but let's pretend it is just for fun. xD So, without further stopping you...please review. They are delicious and fluffy, as are the cyber cookies and brownies I send you when you do. x3**


	48. Crash

**Crash**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**D3athrav3n92**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Silentmoondemon**

**Dontmezwitme**

**KageArai**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Cyber cookies and brownies to those who reviewed! (Tosses them in the air) Enjoy!**

**Giving Edward more interaction time with others. And, also giving Bishquet some more time as well. :3 Plus, this is a chance for other characters to interact, now that introductions of Elizabeth and Norrington are pulled up on screen. **

**This will all occur before the Liar's Dice game. That'll be comin' next chapter, don't worry. Fun game, by the way. :3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see.  
**- Jimi Hendrix**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Everything was going according to plan. Well, almost, really. He had his ship full of souls, as promised to Davy Jones. And, they would make a decent bargaining chip if it came down to it. He also had another ace up his sleeve, one he did not expect to have: Elizabeth Swann. Will's lovely fiancé had turned out to be an unexpected, but welcome advantage. They course had been drawn, thanks to her, and now they could proceed to the Dead Man's Chest. Now all he needed was the key. That was where the two lads came in.

There truly was no point in having the chest if they had no key and vice versa.

Jack stared over his men working below the quarterdeck as they hollered and bellowed at one another. Men scuttled about, ready to work and already the sails of his beloved ship were out and about. He kept an especially sharp eye upon the elder Elric sibling, as well as the young woman who willingly chose to work high above the decks.

The lad kept close by her, making sure she was all right, and while he couldn't hear words exchanged, he knew the boy worried for the girl. He knew he worried for his brother, too. But Alphonse was not here, so Edward had switched his concerns to someone who _was_ here. At least, for the moment he'd keep his attention on something. When his brother returned, priorities would switch.

He only had one other certain young lady to keep an eye out for and that would be the little Bishquet, whom he hadn't seen for several long, grueling hours, nearly a day actually. He had no concerns at the moment, but she had looked too…mixed in emotions to consider putting her out of his thoughts. He'd keep an eye on her, or at the very least, have one of his original crew make due to keep an eye on her. He didn't need a break in regime because of the fiery young woman.

Jack glanced back up at the crawling forms over the tops of the masts, watching as the Elric lad and the wolf slowly make their way down with several of the new crewmembers. He had to smile at their confusion of a woman working just as hard as any man. They were bewildered to be sure, and he was sure if she had the choice of mind, she'd be amused as he was at the moment. The bemused crewman proceeded to stop dead in his tracks on the shrouds as the young woman crawled down the shrouds, leaving behind the crewman, as well as an equally surprised Edward.

Jack turned away and looked to Mr. Gibbs.

"You have our coordinates, Mr. Gibbs. Take 'er out."

"Aye, cap'n. We'll be on our way within a matter of minutes, sir." Then with a pause, he looked out on the deck to see Elizabeth speaking with Marty below, and his lips twitched. He turned back to Mr. Gibbs.

"Have Miss Swann take up a space with the young ladies. Have Ms. Hawkins help set up a cot down there for her. And keep an eye on bloody Norrington, would you?"

"Aye, cap'n," Gibbs replied with a sharp nod. Mr. Cotton was not far from the helm and Mr. Gibbs nodded to the older seadog. Mr. Cotton's parrot squawked several times, flapping its wings for good measure. Mr. Gibbs stepped away and quickly descended the stairs to collect Lupin and relay her orders to her.

Then Jack himself pivoted on his heel and made way for his cabin. He glanced at Elizabeth and saw her watching him. Jack turned away and disappeared into his cabin for the night. It was late and he would need his strength. And, as a precaution, he locked his cabin doors. He did not need a surprise visitor coming in the middle of the night and slitting his throat. Not that Norrington seemed capable of freethinking as of this moment; he was too drowned in his self-pity party. But, one could never be too careful, now could they?

…Of course not.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He was still in disbelief that any one sane man would follow a complete whack such as Captain Jack Sparrow. The man was a crock and unfortunately, quite a convincing one. He had seen the way Elizabeth had looked at Sparrow earlier, her eyes so full of hope and admiration at the thought of Jack helping her find her love. He scoffed at the thought of the pirate being anything but honest.

"Every word," his former Commodore's ass. He knew the pirate was a pathological liar and he used people for his own benefits. It was his nature; it was his nature as a pirate, and as a corrupted man.

The only thing he did trust in Jack's words was the compass he possessed had strange abilities. He had seen it himself the way the needle had moved of its own accord, without Elizabeth moving herself around.

It troubled him. And yet, it also seemed to make perfect sense. It was a supposedly broken compass that led Jack to his selfish desires. No wonder the man also seemed half-crocked. He depended solely on the directional help from a half-broken compass.

Norrington looked up, his worn and haggard wig flaying against his face and neck. He was dirty, tired, caked in mud and rum and God only knew what else. He wanted sleep. He wanted to rest his addled mind, but instead he was here, on the very pirate's ship he swore to hunt down until his very last breath. But, it didn't seem to be that God was allowing his way. First, the hurricane and then there was his decommissioning as a Commodore, and now he was here. He childishly believed it was unfair.

The drink had affected his behavior, he suddenly realized, as he tried to walk steadily, trying not to totter and fall down or God forbid, over the gunwale. He held himself strongly where he stood, like the Navy man he once was. He would quit the drink, and retain his dignity. He did not need to have Jack Sparrow see him at his lowest any more than he already has. No, he would regain himself and—!

Former Commodore James Norrington was flung flat on his ass and he fell with a hard thump against the wooden deck. He lay there for a moment, dazed and bewildered at what had hit him. When his vision didn't swim and his head didn't throb, Norrington picked his head up and stared up at the figure towering over him, a large barrel flung over their shoulder. He found himself staring into the same fiery eyes he had so mockingly disdained weeks before, and who could forget such molten, yellowy eyes?

Norrington stared back, dumbfounded for several long moments before the figure grunted at him, "Get off your ass. You look like a damn idiot, just staring with your mouth hanging open."

Norrington promptly shut his mouth. The figure's lips twisted into a cruel smirk as he slowly lowered the barrel down. It was then that Norrington saw that the figure's right arm was exposed and—and it was made of pure metal.

His mind reeled back to one of his men's words, and it seemed so long ago, but he remembered the words well: "_That man; that man with the long hair, he had…he had a metal arm, sir. It was…_unnatural_. It wasn't anything like a gauntlet or armor, but…I think it was his _actualarm_._"

A shudder went down his spine as he pulled himself to his feet, slowly and cautiously. He stood to his full height, and while he was taller than the young man before him, he felt smaller, weaker. The fiery-eyed young man shoved the barrel into his hands. Norrington practically dropped it on his feet; surprised by the sudden "gift" he was given. When he gathered a reasonable hold on it, he met the young man's bright gaze with his own and found fear in himself. Those eyes, they've seen hell and plenty of it. Norrington swallowed.

"Get to work."

Norrington chose his words without a care, not quite used to be ordered around by someone who was obviously of lower rank than him. "And who are _you_ to order _me_ around?"

Those eyes seemed to burn even brighter. Norrington, who had rarely if ever felt fear in his life, suddenly felt it chill him to his very bones when he looked at this young man. When he had captured him and the other young man—his brother, he assumed—Norrington had been in charge. He had been the top dog, the one who held their fates in his hands. Of course, now the tables have turned.

"Think of this as payback for capturing a friend of ours."

_Ours?_ Norrington thought. It didn't click in him. Before he had a chance to figure out the young man's meaning, another figure swooped in beside the young man. It took Norrington a moment to realize he was looking at a young _woman_ and not a young _man_ when he stared at the small figure. Then it clicked in him that this was the same young "man" who had been with Jack's first mate in the tavern, and the same young "man" who had pulled a sword on him, but had been so hesitant to use it, so afraid.

Her expression narrowed at Norrington. The young man gave her a glance while her arms crossed over her chest and she finally met his gaze. The young man then jerked his head back.

"Go help Bish with Elizabeth. You heard Gibbs."

She sighed heavily, slowly, before nodding in acknowledgement and she turned on her heel wordlessly and left. The young man looked back to Norrington, whose arms were struggling to maintain the heavy barrel. He tried to grapple a better hold on it and succeeded, barely. The young man grunted at him, repeating, "Get to work."

Then the young man turned and left Norrington alone to his ordered work. In the back of his mind, Norrington had a feeling this young man had once been used to a position of power. Faintly, he had to wonder if he had been, in any way, connected to a military power. Oh, if only Norrington knew how close he was to the truth, he would have been very surprised.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Elizabeth helped straighten the worn sheets in her hands, spreading it over. She didn't really need the help from either of the young women, let alone _both_ of them. She had been surprised that there was not only one female on this ship, but two. It had been…almost reassuring, and as to why it was so, she didn't know. Perhaps, it was because she wouldn't be the only one of her gender here.

When the cot for her had been set up, and the little cubby had been spread out a little further to accommodate Elizabeth, she pulled herself back through the curtains and excused herself. She thanked the two young women—whom they had introduced themselves as Bishquet and Lupin—and returned topside. She was tired, not quite yet. So, she found herself in the fresh air, focused on one too many things at once.

Her interrupted wedding, Will's bargain with Lord Beckett, her own unorthodox escape… They all whirled around in her mind like vortex, unwilling to slow and straighten themselves out like a piece of paper for her to look at straight in the eye.

But, she still remembered how good it had felt when she had pointed that gun to Beckett's skull, but she had been too frightened to pull the trigger. She had been too afraid, deep down, to kill a man. Something had held her back. Elizabeth shook the thoughts from her mind, and took out the compass Jack had given her to take care of. She flipped it open, and thought of the discovery of a way to help Will. It pointed in the same direction as earlier, the direction they were currently heading towards. The compass snapped shut immediately and she tucked it back around her belt.

Elizabeth stared around her, watching as men slowly wound down, new faces drowning out the familiar. Some were already taking the night shift. Others were bunkering down for their nightly rest. Norrington was among the working. She decided not to bother him. She was hesitant to interact with him, now that the excitement from the bar was over.

Then her eyes made contact with a quick moving figure, helping heave up a large crate. The crew was still hard at work moving supplies down to the bilge, the galley and elsewhere. She had even witnessed one of the men struggling to control several chickens earlier. Now she focused on the strong, fierce-looking young man hard at work. Then her eyes turned to the sharp contrast of shiny metal on his arm and she gasped involuntarily, eyes wide.

It wasn't metal that was on his arm; the metal was his arm itself! She couldn't help but stare, boggled. What strange company Jack had nowadays. A young woman who dressed as a cabin boy and adorned a similar bauble-hair fetish as him; a former Commodore and enemy now serving on his ship—perhaps partly her fault for bringing the man here—and now a young man with an arm made of metal. She would have been shocked if she knew this particular young man also had a leg made of metal as well.

When the crate was moved across the deck, instead of below, she watched as the young man took a respite, wiping at his brow and stretching his tired limbs. Or rather, his one tired limb. Then, almost as if he felt eyes upon him, he looked up. Sharply, he turned his gaze and swept the area before landing on her. She dropped her gaze, embarrassed. She hadn't meant to stare so…intently. He began making his way over to her and she lifted her eyes just in time to see him stop before her. He watched her, almost guardedly, but also with a sense of curiosity.

Finally, he asked, "You're Elizabeth, aren't you?"

It seemed everyone knew who she was. Already, she's been inquired or even identified as to who she was, and they'd all nailed their inquiries on the head. "Yes. I am."

He sighed, almost as if a burden was on his shoulders. He then extended a hand towards her; his metal hand, to be precise. She stared at it and marveled at the craftsmanship of it for a long moment before cautiously grasping it. The metal fingers curled around her hand with surprising dexterity and firmness. "Edward Elric. It's nice to put a face to the woman Will's been so concerned about. Haven't heard much, but it isn't too hard to put two and two together."

Elizabeth's grip faltered, although the young man didn't seem to notice. They released and he leaned against the gunwale beside her. "Is he all right? I heard…I heard about how he…"

She swallowed, unable to finish. Davy Jones had only been a faint legend, a tinny memory at the back of her mind until recently. She had only heard references to his name; only through the Locker many sailors seemed keen upon warning or threatening one another about. Nothing much else reached the ears of a governor's daughter, except for perhaps the fashion designs or critical news back home in England. Rumors of sailor's superstitions and legends were rare, and she treasured them, especially the romanticized stories of pirates and fair maidens.

"As far as I know, he's being used as a tool to find a key." He paused, and the next words he chose seemed to weigh heavily to him. "My brother's on the _Flying Dutchman_ as well."

Elizabeth warmed to the young man almost instantaneously, through the knowledge that she and Edward had a familiar pain. "I'm so sorry." She replied quietly. He glanced away from her.

"Yeah," he sighed again. "So am I." He paused and then smiled, if wanly. "He'll be fine. My brother's a better fighter than I am, anyways. And a lot more patient. If I had stayed…I might not be alive by now."

He laughed then, strangely enough, as if it really were a fanciful joke. Quizzically, Elizabeth stared at him, unsure of how to respond to his strange comment. As quickly as he had started, however, Edward quieted down.

"You'd better get some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, I can feel it."

He turned to leave, but stopped and glanced at her. "Will is going to be fine, too. He's a good fighter."

She smiled at this. "I know. He taught me to fight."

Edward watched her, almost studying her really, and then smiled. "Heh."

He left her with her thoughts, and strangely enough, a smile on her face.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The night seemed to wear on and on. Bishquet had been glad her friend arrived back, safe and sound. And, just as she'd predicted—but not really—, Elizabeth was now with them. And, unfortunately, so was Norrington. She'd forgotten about him. The subtle reminder that he was here now made her blood chill unpleasantly beneath the surface before it boiled up severely. However, after a while, she was calmer and dismissed the idea of the former Navy man being here. He had no power of his own here; he was a lowly grunt now. She had nothing to worry about.

But, the mere idea of kicking him in the balls was a pleasant image. It'd probably never happen, though, she had no intentions of being sent to the brig. It was still a nice mental image to go over and over again. But, after a while of thinking this, it left as suddenly as it had came, and she had occupied her hands and mind with something more conductive.

For the first time, she had finally met Elizabeth, had helped set up the cot and expanded the little cubby for the young woman. She had tried helping make it as comfortable for Elizabeth as possible, but the would-be bride had seemed uneasy and distant. Conversation was out, but frankly, Bishquet hadn't minded. She hadn't been in the mood, either. Nor did Lupin, except when things were necessary to be said.

It was late now, and she was nowhere near tired. She had tossed and turned, like she had been for the past week or so, and it seemed like a regular occurrence. She was always tired now, and it irked her. She wanted to do something, but ever since Alphonse's trade-off with his brother, it seemed as though the emotional drain had taken a toll on her.

She, however, still had her piece of mind to dish out whenever some idiot idea flew from Lupin's mouth. When she had heard Lupin had gotten into a bar fight, she hadn't hesitated to occupy her mind with that.

"What were you _thinking?_ Were you thinking _at all?_"

Sheepish, silent looks were mostly what she had been given. She was still pissed about it. She loved her friend, but sometimes, Lupin was a complete idiot…

Bish rolled over on her side, ignoring the sounds of the slumbering pirates just a curtain's breadth away. However, it was difficult, now that the sound of snoring and sleep-snorting pirates had nearly tripled. It took effort, but it was manageable. She closed her eyes, wondering how Alphonse was managing. She wanted to know. What she wouldn't give for a magic crystal ball, but then again, who wouldn't? Well…that could easily be answered, but that was beside the point.

They'd be reaching a destination sometime soon. She didn't know where it was, but she knew it would be on that little island. There, Will would meet Elizabeth, Jack and Norrington. Her heart gave a little clench in her chest and she believed Alphonse would be there. He had to be, for God's sakes. He was tough. He was smart as well, and a great fighter. She's seen him spar with his brother, and beat Edward with liquid ease. He was just as good with a sword, and like his brother, was ambidextrous, so he could fight with either hand easily.

And, he could survive the _Flying Dutchman_. Her hopes rose.

He could survive the _Flying Dutchman_ by laying low and have an easier time than that of his older brother. He could help Will find the key, get out safely and—and survive the Kraken's attack. Shit. She almost forgot about that.

Bish curled up tightly into a ball, and listened to a mumble from someone in their hammock. He could survive. She believed he could. She had to believe he could, or else all of the things she'd shared with him, and the things he's shared with her would be in vain. It would be all for nothing if she didn't believe, and didn't look back on the good they've shared.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Extremely short chapter, I apologize. I thought I'd wrap it up by showing interactions or singular characters and contemplations. The Liar's Dice game shall be up in the next chapter, so enjoy this chapter while it lasts! Haha, wait, it's over already. Never mind. x3**

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are **_**delicious.**_** x3**


	49. Points of Authority

**Points of Authority**

**Reviewers: **

**Fierio**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Shinzochi**

**Keiyou**

**Dontmezwitme**

**KageArai**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**And now, we shall commence in a game of Liar's Dice and some more central time with Alphonse, Bootstrap and William. Enjoy. :3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.  
_**- Maria Robinson**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Three sets of hands slammed down, cups in hand, dice scrambled about in the insides. The cups were dragged and wagering commenced. The crew gathered around to watch the game, laughing away as Will and Alphonse stood side by side, watching with pure intensity. Alphonse already knew the rules well enough just by watching and piecing what the men said and their actions together.

Behind him and Will, Bootstrap came to them. "Wondering how it's played?"

"I understand." Will replied. Alphonse nodded in agreement.

"As do I."

"LIAR!" Maccus crowed at the others. The cups lifted away and they other two pointed at the shark-headed man. He'd lost his bet.

"It's a game of deception," he continued. "Your bet includes all of the dice. Not just your own." Alphonse found himself nodding minutely at this. Yes, it was a game of deception. It was similar to that of poker, only he had never wagered any of years of his for anything, whether it was life or otherwise. "What're they wagering?"

"Well, the only thing we have. Years of service."

There was a pause. Alphonse watched as the men continued to jeer and laugh and return to a new game with new wagers. Maccus looked ready to take off the ten years he just received from his fellow crewmembers.

"So any crewmember can be challenged."

"Aye," Bootstrap replied. "Anyone."

Alphonse glanced at Will, curious as to what his goals were. Then it hit him just as Will uttered, "I challenge Davy Jones."

There was silence. Bootstrap gazed at his son in a mixture of emotions. Alphonse stared in a similar fashion, only he didn't protest. He figured out Will's plan almost immediately. He was going to gain the location of the key. Bootstrap, however, looked ready to protest when the organ that so fashionably played stopped. It was followed abruptly by the booming thud of Davy Jones's crab peg leg. Slowly, the thudding made its way across the deck above them and each crewman's head followed the path of the sound. Slowly, Clanker's laughter built up and behind them, Davy Jones appeared with a slam of his feet.

"I accept."

A table was set up and Alphonse felt his blood chill, wondering what Will would wager in order to gain the location of the key. Then he realized there was only one thing he could wager: his soul. Al clenched his jaw tightly; watching Will sit down as a cup and set of dice were set before him. Davy Jones approached and Alphonse watched the not-human captain tower above most of his men circled around them.

Anger blossomed. He felt a sudden shift of it towards Tia Dalma and her unexplained words as to why exactly she couldn't help them get home. If she had the supposed power to bring back a dead man, why not send them home? Then, surprisingly, he felt it slight towards Lupin. If she had known about certain events of this place from even a story, allowing him and his brother to be aware of what was going on would have been a nice heads up. But he realized her reasons were just; she had been unsure if they would have believed her, and he knew he most likely wouldn't have. It would have seemed too farfetched and laughable months ago. But, now…?

Now he was faced with this duel of deception. Davy Jones regarded Will with light amusement. Of course, what could a lowly mortal human do against a man who could materialize suddenly out of nowhere? He was instantly reminded of a Homunculus, although Davy Jones had never been created through alchemy.

He heard Will's wager and turned sharply towards Will. "Will, don't—!"

Alphonse was pulled from Will's side, and he heard harsh laughter scratching in his ear.

"Stay out of a man's game, boy!"

He shuddered at the clammy hands against his bare skin and he jerked out of the sailor's grasp. The clothe with the key sketch was suddenly laid bare, cradled against Jones's crab claw and Alphonse felt as though the very air had tensed. He looked to Will and the young man had not bat an eyelash. Alphonse pinched his lips; seeing that Will had his poker face on and quite frankly, he hoped the young man could win. His brother mostly could, hands down. He may not have been a better fighter than Alphonse, but he was surely better at games of deception such as these. And, it was because of these deceptions he was able to save his own butt so many times.

He closed his eyes momentarily and suddenly wished all of this could go away and he could be back with his brother, his friend and—

And he wished he could have Bish back in his arms and forget about all of this.

"You can still walk away."

Alphonse opened his eyes. He realized Will's reasoning for challenging Davy Jones. It was not just to find the key. It was to finish this job and get back to Port Royal, and save his fiancé. He was doing all of this to see her again. Alphonse knew he would have done the same, but perhaps not in the same fashion as Will was proceeding. His method would be more…discreet.

From the mass of tentacles that made up Davy Jones's beard, one of the longer tendrils pulled out a key hanging on an iron hook. Alphonse blinked and stared, realizing what he was looking at. It was so close, he could have reached out and snatched at it. But, he had nowhere to go, and he was not wild and would not jeopardize his life so inanely like that. It was not logical and it was stupid. He was at sea, not in a village.

The key disappeared. The game began. However, Bootstrap had joined in. Alphonse stared at Will's father, impressed and afraid. He suddenly wished he had done to the same, to increase Will's chances of getting the key. If either of them were caught up, the other could take the key and escape somehow. He clenched his fist at his side, looking around quickly, to see if there were any cups or spare dice. There were none; his silent search was in vain.

All he could do was uselessly stand by and watch. That same hot blossom of anger sprouted up, but once more, he cooled it as quickly as it had come, realizing that there was nothing he could do. He grudgingly accepted it, much to his chagrin.

Tensely, the air around the three players continued to grow as the bids were set up. Al watched as indecisiveness suddenly cast a light on Will's face. His confidence dropped slightly, but he remained as adamant as possible. Will would pull through; he had to believe it.

The bids went another round before Will announced his next bid.

Jones laughed and Al paled at the sound. No. No, no, no—

"Welcome to the crew, lad."

"N—!"

"Twelve fives."

Alphonse stifled his protest quickly, looking towards Bootstrap. The sorry-looking man with the starfish on his face and puppy-got-kicked eyes looked to his captain.

"Twelve fives," Bootstrap repeated, "call me a liar, or up the bid."

"And be called a liar m'self for my trouble?" Anger flashed across Jones's face as he snatched Bootstrap's cup and revealed the dice beneath: two three's and three two's. The cup was slammed down. "Bootstrap Bill, you're a liar and you will spend an eternity on this ship!"

Alphonse regarded the man who was Will's father with sudden admiration. He had given himself up to help his son. A sudden flicker of jealously and pain filled his heart at this, and for a moment, he remembered his father's face, and the brief time he had spent with the man. He had heard of what his father had done when the gates between this world and his world had opened. If it weren't for his father, he wouldn't have been able to be reunited with his brother.

"Master Turner," Jones addressed Will. Alphonse glanced at the towering form before them. "Feel free to go ashore," he stated before he added, "The very next time we make port!"

Cruel laughter echoed from the crew as Jones turned away and limped off, his men following. He lingered behind, looking between the sorry-looking father and indignant son.

"Fool," Will hissed. "Why did you do that?"

"I couldn't let you lose."

Will shook his head. Alphonse watched the men go about their work in the shrouds, among the lines, around the boom and the masts. He glanced at Will.

"It was never about winning or losing."

Alphonse understood before Will said that. They needed to know where the key was. Consideration set into Will's father's eyes as he said, "The key…you just wanted to know where it was."

"We need it." Alphonse said, sitting down. Bootstrap turned his sad, sorry eyes towards the young man, looking him up and down.

"What for?"

"To find the Dead Man's Chest."

"Obviously that's what it was made for. By why?"

"Jack needs it," Will answered quietly.

Bootstrap remained quiet for a long time before he nodded. "Aye. To help with leverage on his debt, I imagine." He frowned, but it was hard to tell; the man always seemed to be in a perpetual state of sorrow. Bootstrap straightened himself and Alphonse winced at the horrendous and multiple creaks of bones cracking in place. "You'll need to get the key, then, for that."

"But how?" Alphonse murmured to himself.

"I know how." Bootstrap obtained curious and piercing looks from both the young men seated before him. Bootstrap hesitated, looking around him before leaning in. "Like normal men, we need food and water. But, we also need sleep. We may be…immortal, in a word, but we are not invincible when it comes to our own basic needs."

"Go on, Mr. Turner." Alphonse nodded. Bootstrap licked his lips and nodded.

"Davy Jones may be the scourge of the seas, but he too, needs sleep. I have a plan. I don't know if it will work, but it's a better shot than waiting for your deaths, aye?"

Will and Alphonse nodded, exchanging glances before looking back at Bootstrap.

"I think it is the only best thing we have…Father."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was late and most of the men were resting their shifts off. Many snored loudly, like Clanker, but they were also soundly asleep and that was the key in this part of the plan. Bootstrap first popped up to look around the deck, to check if the coast is clear. William followed several moments afterwards, his head swiveling above decks. Alphonse lingered, checking over his shoulder. Men slept in their cots and hammocks, just as soundly asleep as the ones above deck. He heard Bootstrap relieve the man from the helm, and silently congratulate the sorrowful looking man on a job well done. That was one obstacle out of the way.

Nostalgia crept into Alphonse's bones and he felt that push of excitement and adrenaline fuel him. It was like going after valuable research material for something wondrous in the alchemical world, although he had to remind himself that he was no longer in his world. And, he was no longer with his brother, performing these devious, deep-night schemes either. It was with another man, another person whom he knew very little about, except that his father was alive—perhaps believed dead for a long time—and that he had a fiancé to rescue from the gallows and the _Company_.

This plan, though, was shaky and patched together at best with great patches of changes here and there by Will. Alphonse input his own observations and fixes as well, although they were minor. He would help as a lookout, while Bootstrap would remain on deck, to keep an eye on the men sleeping.

Quietly, with hushed footsteps, Alphonse followed Will and cast glances over his shoulder constantly. When Will looked back on Alphonse, he gave nods of encouragement to continue. They reached the double doors to Davy Jones's quarters and Alphonse stayed at the doors, casting sharp gazes up and down and around them, counting what visible crewmen he saw. They were mostly out of the way and not of any threat. Will continued forward and stepped lightly towards the hulking form of Davy Jones, who sat sleeping at his organ.

Will, when he reached Jones's side, was sleeping and snoring softly, but nothing else. The young man looked up and stared at Alphonse, then looked around. He knew the exact location of the key, but how to get it…

His eyes landed upon quills and he plucked them up. _Perfect_, he mused.

Gingerly, he set right to work, only to pause at sleep snorts. He grimaced as he went back to his task, moved back the tentacles. He could see the key, hidden among the myriad of slow-wriggling tentacles. He took a quill in his mouth and tried holding it up, reaching slowly for the key.

Alphonse watched, and realized that if his brother had been less tempered, he probably would have done something similar…

Or perhaps Edward would have simply outright bet for the key itself in the game of Liar's Dice. He knew Bish would have been all for it. He paused at the thought of Bish and he ached, wishing he could have her in his arms again. It was painful, but he knew by stealing the key from Jones, and finding a way back to the _Pearl_, he'd be with her again. At least he would be in agreeable company, and _then_—

The abrupt blare of the organ and then a tinkling of what sounded like a music box went off and he froze in horror. Alphonse turned sharply to look at Davy Jones and Will. Will was frozen beside Jones, half crouched by the not-human man. Jones did not move, except the rolling of his head, and then he was relatively still. Will lingered, then moved back towards the doors. Alphonse felt his heart pounding in his chest, but it quelled almost immediately at the sight of the key Will presented him. They walked at a brisk, quiet pace towards the port side of the deck, where Bootstrap was hard at work to get a longboat into the waters. Will took the key on its worn, leather cord and slipped it around his neck.

Alphonse moved to take over for Bootstrap and the old man gratefully accepted, moving past Alphonse with a pat on the shoulder. He turned to his son and gave him a knife, saying, "Here, take this too. Now get yourself to land, and stay there."

Lowering the longboat was difficult and his arms burning at doing it alone, but he could do it. Quietly, he returned to the thought of getting back to the _Pearl_, where his brother and Lupin were waiting, where Bishquet would be. He only had to get this boat in the damned water. Then somehow find the _Black Pearl_—wherever she may be—and get that key to Jack. He'd be done with pirates and mythical scourges of the sea and the like. He just wanted to settle down, peacefully, and stay in one place for once. Perhaps at a nice beach, with nothing to do for the day, except lay down and have a certain pretty young woman by his side.

Behind him, he heard a disdainful laugh from Bootstrap. "What more can they do to me?"

The boat was almost lowered, almost hitting the waves now. He waited patiently, hearing Will state to his father, "I take this with a promise. I'll find a way to sever Jones's hold on you, and not rest 'til this blade _pierces_ his heart."

There was silence on Bootstrap's end. Alphonse got the boat lowered in one piece and it bobbed gently in the waters below.

"I promise."

Al turned to look at Will. The young man walked past his father and nodded Al. "Let's go."

Alphonse hesitated as Will already began climbing down to the longboat and he looked to Bootstrap. The man met Al's eyes with his own and sighed, nodding. "Off with you, too, Alphonse. Your brother's waiting, I suspect."

"Thank you for your help—,"

"Don't thank me just yet. Wait until you're on the _Pearl_. _Then_ you can thank me." He smiled sadly and motioned to Alphonse to get going. Al, understanding, nodded and turned away, climbing his own way down to the boat. The lines released, they began rowing just as another small storm began to pour down on them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"How long have we been out here?"

Alphonse paused mid-swallow of the small rations he and Will had been able to scrounge for on the _Flying Dutchman_. Slowly, he finished the stale water off and wiped his lips, frowning.

"Several hours." Alphonse replied, squinting his eyes as he stared out past the horizon, the sun creating a glare on the surface of the water. He finally had to look away. "Do you need a rest?"

"Another few minutes." Will replied. It was only early, and yet it had gotten fairly warm rather quickly. It would only get hotter, he realized. Alphonse squinted against the distance again. The roiling, black clouds were still in the distance, but they were still wet, the sky slowly breaking up from its previous night of cloud cover.

"We've got the key. Now all we need is to find Jack…again."

"Wish we had a radio about now…" Alphonse muttered quietly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Never mind."

He remembered the heat from months ago all too well. He remembered the lust for something to quench his thirst. The ocean water around him had tempted him, but both he and his brother knew of the consequences if they did. He also remembered the bodies of the dead that they had been surrounded by, sleeping with them, slowly whittling away until—

Alphonse frowned, squinted and leaned forward against the gunwale. Then he gripped the gunwale tightly and turned to Will, unable to hide the relief in his voice.

"It's a ship; it's heading this way!"

Will stopped rowing immediately at this and perked up, tuning his eyes to the spot Alphonse was leering at. It took him a while before he nodded curtly.

"I see it. Here, take over. I'm going to see if I can't get its attention before it passes us."

With a careful shift between roles, Alphonse took to the oars while Will waited in harried anticipation. The ship soon came into full-blown view, almost to the point where the could make out the tinny, individual shapes of men scurrying about the ship's shrouds and deck.

Will made his move, waving his arms rapidly, flagging down the ship. He shouted and soon, when they were close enough, Alphonse withdrew the oars and began helping, adding to the volume of noise and display of flailing arms in the air. The ship didn't miss them and soon, veered a course towards them. On the side of it, when it came right beside them, the ship's name was made out as the _Deliverance_.

Men shouted at one another, hurriedly moving about and throwing a rope ladder down. Alphonse grabbed it and held it steady, allowing Will to go first. He followed and soon, they were welcome aboard by curious faces among honest men and good sailors.

The captain immediately intervened and had his men strike up something hot for the two young men to down, something to warm their bones from the storm they had just endured last night. They were swept away into the captain's cabin and blankets were provided. Rest was assured for them and they waited for their warm drinks, grateful for safety.

It would, however, soon be time to find a course that would cross paths with Captain Jack Sparrow.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**I had the idea of putting Alphonse into the Liar's Dice game. But, I scrapped the idea rather quickly. My reason being is because if Edward can cheat with a straight face, then Jones could call him out on a bluff first try. As sad as it is, it's also honesty when I say this: Alphonse does not have a very good poker face. And, I'm sure he'd agree with me. xD**


	50. Leviathan of the Deep

**Leviathan of the Deep**

**Reviewers: **

**Keiyou**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Heeheehee01**

**Dontmezwitme**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Shinzochi**

**Hollow Mashiro**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Decided to upload early. I'm seriously gone in a little over two weeks people. I'm not kidding. I'll upload a day before I leave, before I disassemble my computer for storage. So, before then, I'll try to finish up the **_**Dead Man's Chest**_** arc! I'll try!**

**Whoo, and now we're down to the Kraken scene! Seriously, it is one of my most favorite scenes from the movie. I had fun with this chapter, yes I did. x3 And, again, this is centralized around Alphonse and Will. :3 We'll probably be seeing the others next chapter.**

…**Fuck. I've actually hit the fiftieth-chapter marker. **

**Holy shit. O.o**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_He who does not punish evil commands it to be done._  
**- Leonardo da Vinci**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They had been taken to the captain's quarters to rest. The galley brewed with two hot drinks and some warm food. They finished the food quickly and lingered on the drink, huddled under blankets to warm up further. The storm last night was still fresh in their minds, and while it had not been too terrible, there were times when Will and Alphonse both believed that they were going to flip over. It was a risk, however, they were willing to take. As soon as they had settled, however, they were interrogated.

The captain was quick to start opening the conversation with a rather conspicuous question. Alphonse paused in the taking of his drink while Will answered the man vaguely, "Just put as many leagues behind us as you can. As fast as you can."

There was no room for persuasion. "And what are we running from?"

Alphonse felt threatened beneath that question. It might have been just him, but he felt as though the question had implied that if it weren't answered promptly and truly, it would hold dire consequences. Will, however, became distracted. He stood and crossed the cabin and Alphonse looked to where Will was headed.

It was a dress, cream and gold and white, long-sleeved and the length… He stared at it, while Will demanded where it was found.

"It was found aboard the ship. The crew thought it was a spirit bringing some omen of ill fate."

"That's foolish," Will replied.

Alphonse stood and sipped the last of his warm drink, setting the cup down. He came to Will's side. The man didn't look up. "You know the dress, don't you?"

Will nodded briefly. "Yes. It was…Elizabeth's." He whispered back. "She was here."

"—told us to pull it in at Tortuga. And we made a nice bit o' profit there." One of the sailors boasted. Will's attention snapped to at the name Tortuga, as did Alphonse's. He's only ever heard of the piratical town, but has never visited.

"Off the books, of course." The captain finished in a matter-of-factly tone. Alphonse and Will met eyes and a silent understanding passed between them. She had been in Tortuga, looking for Jack. And if they managed to meet up…Elizabeth was safe, on Jack's ship.

"I imagine some of your crew may have jumped ship there." Will cautiously proceeded.

Alphonse took the dress and carefully placed it back on the chair. He looked down on it, wondering what the woman Will had almost married looked like. Then he had a brief visual of what Bish would have looked like in it. He smiled a little.

A sailor came down, exclaiming to the captain about a ship being spotted on the horizon. The interruption disrupted his thoughts and he turned to the conversation, brows knit together.

"Colors?" The captain pressed.

"She isn't flying any." The sailor answered.

"_Pirates._" The captain eyed them both, almost accusingly, but the brief glance passed.

Alphonse felt tightness in his chest as Will muttered, "Or worse."

Davy Jones.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He glowered at the sketch of the key in his hand, and crumpled it tightly in his fist before tossing it careless to the ground. He stepped towards the guilty party of Bootstrap, looking sorry as can be, and snatched his neck up in his crab claw.

"_You will_ _watch this,_" He told the man. He released his crab claw hand and turned away, disgusted at Bootstrap's weakness.

The bo'sun was already at work below, snapping his whip at his men. They pushed at the turnstile wheel, working it to move clockwise. Every so often, one unlucky sailor got the whip at his back and it bit in his flesh. They screamed when it did, brief and short, but they continued working.

"Let no joyful voice be heard!" Davy Jones began from the quarterdeck. His men yelled in pain at the wheel, and the whip cracked. The wooden figure in the middle of the wheel began to rise slowly. "Let no man look up at the sky with hope!" Another crack of the whip, and another unlucky sailor was hit. "And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake…_the Kraken!_"

The wooden beam rose to its full height, stuttered briefly, and then fell with a sickening boom. Bootstrap screamed in protest, realizing too late what Davy Jones really could do more to him: take away his only son right before his very eyes.

Below, the great depths churned. A monstrous shape twitched several times and the behemoth awoke, already surging with stored energy. The life that writhed around it scattered, aware of the monster that had awoken, ready with hunger and destruction. The Kraken thrashed about in its sleeping prison, twisted and shot forward, silently knowing its mission that its master has just given it to fulfill.

Aboard the _Deliverance_, men were shouting and cursing, the captain peering at the ship that was approaching them quickly from the distance. Will leapt upon the shrouds, already climbing up. Alphonse hesitated, looking around the crew before he too followed suite, while the captain below peered through his spyglass. They climbed to the top of one of the masts, holding fast to a line to balance them. "I've doomed us all," Will murmured. Al frowned.

"It isn't just your fault," he tried to reassure.

"No. I stole the key. You had nothing in that part. As far as Davy Jones is concerned, it was I, and not you." Will said, shaking his head.

"But we're both gone, remember? As far as he's concerned, we both stole it." Alphonse pursed his lips and Will furrowed his brow. He looked away, glancing at the crew below. To the crew and captain, he shouted a warning, "It's the _Flying Dutchman!_"

The ship rocked before any reply could be given. Will, shaken from his post, fell. Alphonse held himself steady and cried out when Will fell. The man latched onto a spare line, and relief instantly washed through the former alchemist. He knelt carefully, reaching his hand out. "Come on!"

"Mother Clarice's chickens, what 'appened?" One sailor had tumbled at the sudden lurch of the _Deliverance_ and was still reeling from it. Another sailor frowned in equal confusion.

"Must've hit a reef," he finally answered.

The _Deliverance_ held fast and her crew scrambled in confusion, believing that they must have hit a reef. The captain peered over the gunwale, watching the bubbling blue waters below. He turned, shouting, "Free the rudder! Hard to port, then hard to starboard!"

Two sailors repeated what the captain said, their attention elsewhere. The captain was snatched off the ship and yanked underwater without so much as a scream. One of the younger sailors saw, pointing to where the captain had been standing. Above, Alphonse watched as Will replaced himself back on the mast's sturdy wooden frame, frozen at what he had just saw. No, it couldn't have been—he didn't see that, did he? The captain had been there one moment…and then gone the next.

Out in the waters, a man screamed, lifted by a tentacle before being sucked back into the waters with a large splash. The sailors below witnessed their captain be pulled in to his very death and shrieked. An alarm was raised and men went to work as the word, "KRAKEN!" was issued forth. Mayhem broke loose aboard the _Deliverance_, her captain-less deck scrambling with men. A bell was rapidly run by one of the sailors. In the churning waters on either side of the ship, thick and boneless appendages crept, images of nightmares themselves. On deck, spears and hatchets were being yanked out of storage, and handed off to every available hand.

One of the men had rushed to the captain's quarters to drag out Elizabeth's dress, proclaiming to the writhing tentacles, "Here it is! Take it! _Take it!_"

He dropped it and fled as a thick appendage dropped down on the deck and thudded after him. He was one of several sailors to be nabbed suddenly and without warning, screaming and sailing through the air. Another sailor stabbed a hatchet into another twisting limb. It did nothing, except alert it where he was and he too was snatched up. He went, screaming and flailing, just like the rest of the crew. A few men had pulled out muskets and began firing, reloading bullets and powder and firing again. Another group had their pistols out. None of these had any desired affect either.

Chaos reigned below and Alphonse felt fear stab at him. He had faced monsters in the past, both as a human and a suit of armor…but he had never faced a monstrosity such as this. He darted his eyes to the horizon where the _Flying Dutchman_ was, ever so briefly, and he knew whose doing this was. His anger was overcome by surprise when the mast he was on snapped in half by a flailing appendage.

He held on, but it did little to no good. The mast collapsed under its broken weight and leaned towards the other mast. Will acted first, and missed the other beam. Instead, he fell against sails and slid down. Alphonse waited a moment, before he leapt after Will. He barely made the jump and thudded against the beam, his breath snatched from him and he gasped for breath. He began to pull himself up on the wooden boom as soon as he caught his breath.

Below him, Will had quickly stabbed at the sail's fabric with the knife his father had given him as he fell, slowing his fall. He managed to catch a line on the boom below the mast and hung on for dear life. Alphonse watched the terrifying creature's limbs wreak havoc below and he felt weak. He could do nothing, except watch these men be snatched up like they were nothing; he could save no one. He wished for alchemy more than anything to help these people, to get rid of this creature and damn it all, get Jack what he damn well needs and be done with this crazed quest! The former alchemist clenched his jaw, feeling anger swell inside of him.

He was powerless against Davy Jones's monster.

But, nothing he could wish for would come true, no matter how hard he wished for it. Instead, he watched as a thick appendage twisted itself around the remaining mast, heading towards Will. The man was too busy trying to pull himself up. Alphonse's heart gave a jump at the sight and he shouted to the man. "Will, look out!"

Will pulled himself clear and when he was up, already had a sword out, one hand holding himself steady and the other slashing at the tentacle before him. Alphonse, too preoccupied with Will's safety—and the key as well—, didn't notice the two behemoth tentacles rise from the depths until they had risen well above him. Water rained down on him and he stared, frozen in his spot at the leviathan's appendages above him. They came crashing down, just missing the mast he and Will were on.

The thundering shake nearly made him topple over and onto the decks below, but he held to the line in his hand for his life. Men below shouted incoherently, before everything went to hell. The two tentacles smashed into the ship, ripping it in half with little effort. Woodwork went flying everywhere, lines were severed, and men flipped through the air and into the waters below or flopped uselessly on deck. _Deliverance_ toppled in on herself, and Alphonse held on tightly, fear engulfing him as the mast he had once thought of as safety just became a life-threatening hazard.

Men screamed and shouted below on the deck, sliding on the slick wood finish and into the churning waters below in the middle of the halved ship. Tentacles flipped men into the waters, helping push them in. Alphonse pulled himself to a more steady position and looked below, feeling his stomach plummet. In the waters below, a gaping maw opened itself, swallowing the doomed men who fell into it.

The mast he was on suddenly snapped. Will on the boom below jerked and yelled. Alphonse on top gripped the line he held tightly before he saw the sea coming up fast on him. He pushed himself off and dove into the sea. The warm waters embraced him, engulfed him. A strange sound drew his attention while he was under and he turned, peering at the same ungodly creature Will himself was viewing.

Whatever it was, it was huge and it was something only a sailor could have nightmares about. He kicked for the surface, spluttering and gasping for air as he breached the water's unsteady surface. A piece of driftwood from the ship bobbed in the water and he saw Will make for it. He too, took to the piece, arriving before Will. The man, when he reached it, collapsed on the frame and panted, gaining his breath. Alphonse was the first to notice the monstrous bow behind Will. He glowered at the ship.

"Will." The man turned his gaze to look at Alphonse, almost tiredly. He didn't need to say anything further. Will seemed to have sensed the presence of something and took a sudden dive off of the driftwood. Alphonse was already gone, moving towards the ship. Will swam strongly behind him.

Onboard the _Flying Dutchman_, Davy Jones looked abroad where all the carnage lay before him. He stared through it all, noticing several lifeless bodies floating among the wreckage. None of them were that of William Turner or Alphonse Elric. Vaguely, he remembered the desperation to get the other Elric boy out of harm's way. He would have sunk if he remained. The vague thought almost brought a smile to his lips, but it never came to be.

The sight of a woman's dress, beautiful yet lifeless, floating among the carnage and death drew Jones's attention. He stared at it dispassionately, his gaze fixated.

Behind him, Maccus came to him and announced, "The boys are not here. They must've been claimed by the sea."

Davy Jones replied coldly, "I _am_ the sea."

Jones turned away and moved forward towards the still form of Bootstrap Bill. Mockingly, he said to the silent man, "You need time alone with yer thoughts. _Brig!_"

Bootstrap was taken away without a word. Jones was stopped by the inquiry, "What of the survivors?"

Jones stopped before the shivering, pathetic men held hostage by Jones's crew. Several dared look to him, almost pleading silently in their eyes for mercy. His judgment was swift and without second thought.

"There are no survivors."

Hatchets and cutlasses were raised above the _Deliverance_ crew's heads and brought down. The bodies fell without a word, without even a warning or a scream. The crew of the _Flying Dutchman_ grinned in feral, cruel manners at the sight of their handiwork. One of them licked away the blood on his hatchet, chuckling.

Hidden away, William and Alphonse flinched away from the sight, sickened. Alphonse ducked away. Will did not take long to join him and the man nudged Alphonse, nodding his head silently towards the bowsprit. Alphonse followed Will, climbing towards the massive jaw-like bowsprit. Jones would never think to look for them on his own ship.

Above, as they had just cleared safety, Alphonse heard Jones boom, "The chest is no longer safe. Chart a course to Isla Cruces. Get me there _first_ or there'll be the Devil to pay!"

"First?" His sailor questioned. Jones glowered.

"_Who_ sent those thieving charlatans onto my ship? _Who_ told them of the key?"

He turned away from his silent sailor.

"_Jack Sparrow._" He said the name with as much disdain as his tongue could allow and he looked fiercely out towards the horizon.

The _Flying Dutchman_ made her course as Alphonse and Will made themselves as comfortable as they could in the narrow maw of the bowsprit. It wasn't easy, but they managed.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Isla Cruces…do you know where that is?"

Will shook his head, braced himself against the surf. He set his jaw tight and furrowed his brow. "You're not from the Caribbean, are you?"

Alphonse studied the man's face, then looked away. "No." He hesitated. "We're not even from this…" Again, he hesitated.

"Not from this what, exactly?" Will asked, and his eyes narrowed as he spoke. Al frowned.

"It's…difficult to explain." Alphonse finally stated.

"That's not a very definitive answer, Alphonse. I barely know you, and I'm still unsure if I should trust you."

"I know it is." He agreed, although he held back his frustration. He waited a moment before continuing, "But I'm not sure you'd believe me."

"After all of this? I think I'm open to the possibilities of just about anything." Will answered in a clipped tone. "I'm waiting."

_He doesn't give much room to negotiate, does he?_ Al frowned deeply. He was still unsure of how to answer Will's demands. Finally, however, he sighed heavily and nodded.

"It's a bit of a story, but…to put it shortly, my brother and I…we're not from this time period."

Will narrowed his eyes at Al, lips twitching and he was silent for a long time.

"What…do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is…we're not from this year. We're from…we're from the 1920s."

"You mean, you're from…the future?" Will paused, before he smiled and laughed. "I highly doubt that."

"Be that as it may, it's true." Alphonse did not join in. Instead, he watched Will in a serious manner, a blank slate. Slowly, Will began to realize just how serious Alphonse was and he stopped laughing. He regarded Al with a different light, almost warily and with suspicion.

"So…your brother's arm…?"

"Made by a good friend of ours. She's a mechanic who specialized in prosthetic limbs."

"_She?_"

Alphonse nodded. Will was silent for a little while longer, mulling over this new information.

"And the girls?"

"From a time farther than us, I'm afraid. I think the year…was 2009."

"That's nearly three hundred years from now." Will blinked back his surprise. Al nodded.

"They know more than us, I'm afraid. Especially…especially Lupin. She's more of an expert when it came to these things, but…I never would have thought any of this would have come true… It just seemed laughable, until now."

"Neither would I, but…I'm still surprised. How is it that you've come here?"

Alphonse smiled wanly. "An accident, actually. My brother and I were coming in on a ship from the United States, and we ended up on the wrong ship that was coming through the Caribbean. We were supposed to be going back to Germany, where another friend of ours was waiting for us. We hit a storm and then…we ended up being picked up by Jack in this time period. But it…it was Lupin and Bish who saved us. They were the ones who…who kept us alive. We owe them greatly for that."

Will respectfully remained silent on that and did not press on that issue. "I'm sorry this happened to you all, Alphonse. But, why would you stay with Jack, if you don't mind my asking?"

Before he answered, they both braced for another strong wave breaking against the ship. They heard shouts from the deck, then nothing.

"He knew a friend. It was Tia Dalma who we hoped to help us."

"Tia Dalma?" Will narrowed his eyes, once more assuming the guise of suspicion and wariness. "What could she do that could help you?"

Al sighed. "Send us back home, or at least, we were hoping she could. But, she couldn't. So, we're still here…obviously."

"Obviously," Will agreed unnecessarily. Alphonse fell silent alongside the man. For a while they remained quiet, more focused on staying inside the bowsprit's mouth.

"Do you think you have any possible chance of getting home?" Will finally asked after a long time. Al chose his answer carefully.

"I think so. We just need to play our cards right."

The older man laughed slightly. "Yes, I believe we do."

There were more shouts from on deck. The spray of the sea came up on the bowsprit, soaking them both. It seemed like the incident with the _Deliverance_ and her crew's ill-deserved fate seemed ages ago, when it was merely a few hours. Alphonse felt a shiver crawl up and down his spine as a slow tingle. It developed into a shudder. It went unnoticed by Will, who was shivering himself from the warm waters that showered them were growing colder.

"What was that thing?" Alphonse finally asked. Will turned his tired gaze towards Alphonse, frowning deeply, his eyes inquiring. The younger Elric paused before reiterating, "The…creature, that destroyed the ship we were on…"

Will's frown remained. "It was the Kraken." He turned away. "Mr. Gibbs told me, when we were on our way to see Tia Dalma. The descriptions he gave me of what the creature could do, it seemed…impossible. But when your brother and I were on that ship the other night, before we were captured…the things we saw…" Will shook his head. "Now that I've seen this all for myself, it makes me wonder what else might be out there, like that monster. It makes me wonder if there are more things out there than monstrous sea beasts and cursed pirates."

Alphonse nodded, keeping his comments to himself. He knew of plenty of monsters, some worse than a ship-crushing Kraken. He had the right to say he's also fought and survived these monsters as well. Will fell silent after a while, and Alphonse did not push with any more questions. He was exhausted and they both knew they'd need what rest they could get now.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**So, I have hit my fiftieth chapter marker. I'm extremely happy that the story has lasted this long. It just…elates me, and again, I'm going to say thank you for sticking around for so long with me!**

**As always, reviews are always lovely but critique is always welcome even more. x3 Spread the love! I'll give brownies to everyone who does; they come in peace!**


	51. Women

**Women**

**Reviewers: **

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Shinzochi**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**Dontmezwitme**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Ooh, thank you to **_**Dontmezwitme**_** for the helpful critique last chapter, I'm very grateful for it! :3 When I have the time, I'll go back and fix it!**

**Also, brownies of love and peace. (Tosses them to all the lovely reviewers)**

**And, now we return back to the **_**Black Pearl**_**. :D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Women are necessary evils.  
__**-**_** Proverb**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Norrington's words had left her reeling. The confusion of the compass's change of direction had always left her dizzyingly off-balance. Elizabeth wanted to toss the damned thing overboard and be rid of it. But something stopped her, kept her from doing so. She kept her thoughts on Will, but they were stopped now. She had no idea what was taking place on the high seas miles from here, of the creature that was attacking him and Alphonse on the _Deliverance_. She hadn't a clue of the fate those men now faced, either at the writhing appendages of the Kraken, or the cold, barnacled steel of the _Flying Dutchman_'s hatchets and cutlasses.

She watched as the men aboard the _Pearl_, the new and overly gorged crew spilled all over the decks, shrouds, booms, lines and skittering to and fro below and up the decks. She noticed that the young woman who had accompanied her to the _Black_ _Pearl_ was helping among the men. She certainly drew more stares, now that she was not in the complete guise of a man. Her hair was free, baubles in her short, thick tresses clear as day and her figure was now more defined.

Elizabeth noticed she drew less attention to herself, her appearance more conservative compared to the extravagant figure working alongside the men.

Another figure was making their way towards her and she looked up. Elizabeth was surprised to see the other young woman—Bish, she had been introduced as—coming towards her and she sat up a little, staring at the young, exotic skinned woman. Bish stopped, pausing before Elizabeth before she sat beside her. Elizabeth shifted and looked to Bish, a light frown curving her lips.

"It's hot today," Bish stated listlessly.

"Yes, it is. It's the Caribbean." She replied carefully. Bish shrugged.

"I remember the Mediterranean. It was hot there, too. Not as nice, but it was still pretty, like this place. Well…pretty for open, endless waters, that is." She smiled a little, but it disappeared soon. "Do you know how much farther we have to go?"

She sounded almost anxious. Elizabeth chose wisely not to mention it. She did not wish to stress her out.

"I don't know," she answered vaguely, remembering how the compass had pointed to Jack earlier. "Hopefully we'll be wherever we need to be soon."

Bish nodded respectfully. "Good. I have a feeling something's going to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"…Just a feeling. Nothing more." She sighed, as if almost in relief. "Things always get worse before they get better, I guess."

Elizabeth frowned once more. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted unceremoniously by a shout.

"Ragetti! Pintel! Get yer bloomin' asses down here and help!" The voice boomed and it belonged to the small and diminutive Lupin. She glared at the two and Elizabeth swore she heard Ragetti and Pintel both say, "Yes, sir!" to the young woman.

It was an odd sight to behold, but some of the men paid no heed. Lupin paused on her way down, caught sight of Elizabeth and Bish. She doubled back up and moved towards them swiftly before sitting beside her friend. "Lizzie, Bish, you guys hungry? Lunch is done."

"Oh…thank you. Yes, please." She replied curtly to the wolf. Bish nodded.

"Yeah, sure. Please."

Lupin leaned forward and gave her friend a hug and a quick, affectionate and sisterly peck on the cheek of the forlorn Bish. "Feel better, hun. I'll be back with your food."

When she left, Elizabeth cleared her throat. "She…seems to be very protective. Of you, I mean."

"She is. I'm protective of her, as well. I told her to carry her knives and shit with her, just in case." Bish eyed some of the crew and Elizabeth understood with the vehement glower well enough. The coarse language, however, was lost on her, so she merely nodded as though she really did understand. She paused, however, remembering seeing a sword at Lupin's side, and even a gun tucked away in her sash. Bish's statement with her rough language suddenly made more sense.

"I hope Will is okay." Bish said after a while, standing, stretching. Elizabeth watched, pursed her lips and nodded.

"He is. I know he is."

Bish glanced at her before shrugging, noting Lupin was back with food. "See ya."

Then she was alone. She ate in silence, not really tasting her food. She finished it, had the empty dish taken, and was left alone once more. She noted Norrington looked livid from his spot scrubbing the deck with his wig. It did not bring a smile to her lips. She stared out, fiddling with the ring on her hand, no longer visited by the two young women.

One of the new sailors passed her with a bucket and she gave him a passing glance before she spotted Jack's figure making his way towards her. She looked away, faintly smelling the strong scent of rum on the man. It was a smell not even the men of the Deliverance had stunk of. Jack plopped beside her on the stairwell leading to the quarterdeck, characteristically a bottle of his favorite alcoholic beverage in his hand.

"My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are…troubled." Jack began. She gave him a quick glance, then looked away. The roiling emotions bubbled near the surface.

"I just thought I'd be married by now." She replied quietly. "I'm so ready to be married."

Jack's silent response was to uncork the bottle he had and offer it to her. She thought for a split second before casting her inhibitions to the side and taking it. Her throat burned at the swig she took, but it also felt like a good burn. The rum settled warmly in the pit of her stomach.

"You know," Jack continued. "Lizzie. I am _captain_ of a ship. And being of a captain of a ship, I could in fact, perform a…_marry-ahge_…right here, right on this deck, right…_now._"

The last word had been huffed in her face and she scrunched her face in distaste at Jack's horrid breath. She didn't find the appeal that women normally had for this man, with the breath he had. She pushed the bottle of rum back at him and answered quite plainly, "No, thank you."

She got up to walk away. Jack pursued, "Why not? We are very much alike, you and I, I and you. _Us._"

Infuriation and a need to retaliate at that comment; she quite honestly felt insulted, being compared to Jack. "Except for a sense of honor, and decency and-and a moral center." She looked back at Jack, looked him up and down before adding, "And personal hygiene."

Elizabeth looked away, not seeing the rather odd scene of Jack raising his arm to sniff his armpit. "Trifles," he easily replied. "You _will_ come over to my side, I know it."

He rounded about her, almost as if inspecting a certain prize he had just obtained. She was not affected. "You seem very certain."

"One word, luv: _curiosity._" He teased her. "You long for freedom. You long to do what you want to do. To act on selfish impulse. You want to know see what it's like." Slowly, Elizabeth turned her head to regard him and he merely flashed his charming smile at her as he continued, "One day…you won't be able to resist."

She stared him dead in the eye, changing the subject as she asked him, "Why doesn't your compass work?"

He gave her pause, and then looked away indignantly. "My compass works _fine._"

She saw his face, for a moment, fill with doubt at the end of his sentence. That was all she needed.

"Because you and I _are_ alike. And there will come a moment when you have the chance to show it. To do the _right_ thing."

He merely gave her an amused smile as he replied, "I _love_ those moments." He walked away, waving his hand. "I love to wave at them as they pass by."

She smiled briefly, following him. "You'll have the chance to do something…something courageous." Leaning on the gunwale, she tapped her hands several times on the thick piece of wood and continued, "And when you do, you'll discover something." Elizabeth watched him pointedly until he looked at her. His eyes looked over her as she said, "That you're a good man."

He smiled, as if brushing her words off. "All evidence to the contrary."

She smiled, laughing briefly. "Oh, I have faith in you. Want to know why?"

"Do tell, dearie." He ventured as she moved a little closer to him, still smiling that wily, drawn in smile. Jack eyed her, but she saw the interest in his eyes from the corner of hers.

"_Curiosity._"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The party was assembled. Jack would be going; of course he was, considering he was the captain. He then called upon Norrington. If Davy Jones hid his chest, it would be underground; best have the man dig it out. Humiliate him just a little. Pintel and Ragetti were to row the boat to the shore of Isla Cruces. Elizabeth would come as well. If anything by now, Jones was on to his scheme, and hopefully he'll be close by. Will and Alphonse, if the two of them—or at least one, either way—has the key, they'll either be on their way or already on the island. He hoped the lads were there, and not Jones or his crew; he'd prefer the lads over the _Flying Dutchman_'s crew any day of the week.

Then he had one last member join in.

"What, _me?_ You're getting _me_ to go?"

Blue-gray eyes stared at him in disbelief and for once, he saw the disapproval in her eyes, and the hardheaded resistance he's seen in her. "I'm not the one expecting someone on that island. Why not take Bish? She's the one waiting!"

His lips twitched and his ears rung unpleasantly at her indignant screeches. "Yes, that's nice and all, but you're better with a sword than her."

Surprise once again colored her eyes, this time tinged with almost a look of flattery. "I am?"

"Yes, you are. Ergo, you're coming with me."

She spluttered. "Wait, wait, wait. Why can't y'all go and I just…_stay_ _here?_"

He sighed, exasperated. The longboat was already lowered, and the other lot already clambering inside, waiting for him. He gently grasped her upper arm, tugging her kindly along. "Because, luv, you're my…protection. In case of any aforementioned, former Commodores get any idea. Lizzie knows the man, and therefore, will feel hesitance against fighting an old…_spark._ You, on the other hand, have a bone to pick with him, per say."

Jack hefted the jar of dirt in his other hand carefully, protectively, and let go of the wolf's arm, enclosing his free arm around it. She studied him, almost fiercely and frowned at him. "Why not take Edward? He's better with a sword than _me._ A _lot_ better."

"He's useless if he drowns because of his damned arm." He twitched his lips again and he motioned impatiently off in the distance, "Please, just get in the boat?"

Her brows knit, and she looked to him, lips pursed. She finally nodded, almost reluctantly.

"Fine. But just remember…if Alphonse isn't there…you're _dead meat._" She hissed out the last bit with venomous vehemence and for once, she sounded more intimidating than he's ever heard her before. It didn't send a shudder down his back, but it did give him food for thought at her warning.

He turned, waltzing after her, noticing he was gathering quite a hard stare from the elder Elric. Then the gaze shifted from him and worry creased his features when he saw Lupin disappearing over the gunwale and down below. Jack hurried along and before he knew it, they were out on the waters, with Ragetti and Pintel rowing away together. He sat at the bow, because he was captain, and also because, well, he was more important. Jack sat, clutching his jar of dirt protectively.

Behind him, he heard Pintel remark, "You're pullin' too fast."

Ragetti retaliated with, "You're pulling too slow. We don't want the Kraken to catch us."

"I'm saving me strength for when it comes. And I don't think its "_Kraken_" at all. _Always_ heard it say, "_Kray-ken_"."

"What, with a long 'a'?"

"Uh-huh."

Lupin gave Elizabeth a glance. The woman beside her shrugged and looked to Norrington seated beside her as the two men continued to argue. He gave her a strange look as well.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no. "_Kroken_"'s how it's pronounced in the original Scandinavian, and "_Kraken_"'s closer to that."

"Well, we ain't _original_ Scandinavians, are we? Kray-ken!"

"It's a mythological creature, I can calls it what I wants!"

Jack hugged his jar of dirt closer as the debate about the Kraken's pronunciation continued. Elizabeth, not knowing fully on what had started up this dispute, merely let it go on, while Norrington seemed to show no interest—and no belief—in the mythological creature.

Lupin, while she wanted to join in the debate, chose wisely not to do so. Her nerves were jittery enough, and her heart pounded away. She didn't even get a chance to tell Bish where it was she was headed, nor tell Edward…she didn't get a chance to tell him she'd be fine, just like she's done in the past. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, realizing what was going to be coming.

She could only hope that Alphonse would be there alongside Will, safe and sound.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Is that…?"

"I believe it is, yes. We're making straight for it, it seems."

Will leaned forward into the wind, squinting at the spit of land before them. He frowned, looking up at the bow of the ship. Alphonse was looking ahead.

"We need to get over there. And fast."

"Time for a swim?"

"Yes. But not yet. Wait."

Alphonse, who had been so ready to jump in, realized that it would be best to wait. They were still a ways a way, and he'd only sap his strength away if he were to jump now. Patience, he told himself, would win out eventually in the end.

Waiting was the only thing he _could_ do out in open waters…but he still wanted to see her face again.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The conversation he saw with Jack and Elizabeth seemed to be taking a good turn. Or at least, it seemed the woman was thoroughly defending herself against the pirate, looking incredulous at the man's words. Edward simply watched for a few moments, before turning back to skim the horizon, eyes narrowed at the vast blueness of it all. He turned back around, keeping an eye on the woman. He didn't trust Jack, and that much was apparent with most of the men he's sailed with for the past few months.

What he saw didn't please him. The tables seemed to have turned on Jack and Elizabeth talked to him, her eyes lidded, their faces close to one another and he turned away quickly, almost in embarrassment. Almost as soon as he turned away, he asked himself why he was so embarrassed for looking in on a situation that wasn't even his to begin with. He gave another glance back at the two and froze momentarily before looking away.

It wasn't his business. He kept telling himself that. Unfortunately, he slowly began to wonder what would Will say if he saw the very scene he had just seen. Elizabeth leaning towards Jack, Jack raising a hand close enough to brush against the woman's finely tanned face—

"Land, ho!" The cry jolted him and he looked to the crow's nest way above him and the crew, then swiveled his head towards the gunwale where everyone was gathering. He gazed off at the swelling speck of land, white and green, filling the horizon. His lips drew in tightly and he gave one last look to the two, although Elizabeth already swept past him before he could turn fully. Jack was retreating towards his cabin in a hurried fashion.

The flurry of activity was set in motion almost immediately, and he was called to help ready the ship and drop anchor. The heavy iron thing dropped into the waters, as well as the longboat. Pintel and Ragetti were the first to get inside, being as they were the rowers. Elizabeth followed shortly after them. Norrington, surprisingly, followed her on her heels, a shovel on his shoulder as he climbed down carefully into the longboat. It was the last person Jack called upon he hadn't predicted.

He didn't know what Jack was doing, taking Lupin along with him. He could only stare, unable to get one word in. Not because he wasn't able to get over, he could have easily strode over and protested. But instead, he merely stood by, watching the young woman worriedly. She looked reluctant, seemed to argue with Jack, before she nodded to him and he led her away. However, he practically grinned at the scowl on her face and the heated expression she had in her eyes. Jack backed off when she had before he had led her away.

Then Jack noticed him watching and he gave Jack a heated and warning glare. A great part of him wanted to go with them, to keep an eye on Jack—and Norrington as well—but he kept his silence, and let them leave in peace. He didn't approve of it, and he wanted to know what Jack wanted with Lupin, but he couldn't risk being locked back in the brig again. Dammit. When Jack disappeared below the gunwale, Mr. Gibbs called out to them, having the men stand by, ready at a moment's notice in case of an attack.

Most of the men lazed about, though, not because they were slacking since the captain had left; they were resting and waiting. The break provided Edward time to go below and he found Bish in the galley, munching on an apple. When she heard him approach, she nearly dropped it.

"Oh," she said. "It's just you."

"You know she'll get mad if she saw you taking an apple," he joked. She swallowed her bite as an answer, the both of them knowing who 'she' was. Then he grew serious, the smile fading from his face. "Jack took her to that island off shore. Didn't seem to give her much choice or time to prepare, either. Or give us a heads up."

Bish paused, the apple poised and she dropped her hand slowly, a frown tipping her lips downwards. "They're going after the chest."

"That's my assumption, yeah." Edward stopped for a moment before adding, "but they need the key."

She nodded to him. "I think…that's where Al and Will are coming in. Somehow…"

Her silence was heavy after her last comment. He watched her for a few minutes before sighing, and settling a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, I know my brother's alive, all right? He's fine. I think I'd know if something happened to him."

_False reassurance,_ he told himself. When he and his brother had been separated for two years, he hadn't known if Alphonse had been alive or not. But, that had been between worlds. He was sure he would have felt something…off, if something happened…wouldn't he? Edward smiled a little, but Bish did not return the gesture. Instead, she chomped on her apple again, sighing heavily before finishing it off.

"If…if you say so."

His smiled faded once more and he took an apple for himself after a minute's thought about it. Lupin wouldn't mind two missing apples if they were from him and Bish. If it were anyone else on the other hand, well…

He _almost_ shuddered at the thought.

Bish followed him and he heard the crunch of her apple behind him. They parted separate ways, he back up top and she back to the cubby. She had spent much time there, apart from the rest of the crew, and often times, from Lupin as well. She wouldn't rest, he figured, until she knew if Alphonse was alive or dead. Edward exhaled deeply.

No…his brother was alive, he knew it. His gut told him so.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They landed. It was about time, too, he was getting sick of the debate on whether the creature after him was really pronounced "Kray-ken" or "Kroken" or whatever the hell they were on about. He left his jar of dirt behind; he was fine without it, now that he was on land. Jones would dare set foot on this island. Throwing his coat onto a bench in the longboat, he hefted a shovel out of the boat.

Ragetti and Pintel were still hoisting the longboat out as he told them, "Guard the boat. Mind the tides… Don't touch my dirt."

He was at the head, walking with a long stride and with a purpose in mind. Elizabeth lingered behind, Norrington not too far behind her. Lupin was the only one who kept up with his stride, and if she was feeling tired against walking in the sifting sand or rising tide, she said nothing and persevered.

After a long while of walking, however, Elizabeth shouted towards him, compass in her hand, and hand pointing in a direction. He stopped, as did Lupin, and they waited for Lizzie. Norrington followed at his own leisurely pace, and soon they continued on as a group, Elizabeth now leading them. She walked with confidence as she watched the little arrow on the compass waver and show her the way. Jack finally passed on the shovel he had to Norrington, who grudgingly took the item from Jack. He already had a shovel, but there was no harm in keeping an extra, just in case one proved to be…obsolete halfway through the digging.

Lupin was not far, her hand on her sword, a pistol in her sash, and a glower in her eyes as she watched Norrington's backside. She eyed the sword at the man's waist and wondered why Jack was foolish enough to allow him to keep it. If it were her, she would have had him strip-searched and any weapons on him taken away. But, that was her, being paranoid and safe from any attacks.

They made it to another corner of the island, and Lupin felt her heart thud faster. Unknown to her, Elizabeth's was feeling the same way. It was finally coming down to this final hour. The compass would lead them to the chest, and then—

Elizabeth frowned. Something was wrong. She walked in the area where it kept pointing, but she walked and walked along in circles, frustrated at the wobbling arrow. She stopped, thinking it would settle if she weren't moving so much. The arrow settled and she followed its point and found it once again was back on Jack. She looked to the pirate, saw him with his broad hands on his hips, face to the wind. Then he looked to her, almost as if sensing her eyes on him.

She dropped her gaze and gave the compass a harsh jiggle. She sighed, exasperated.

"This doesn't work." She sat down in the sand. "And it _certainly_ doesn't show you what you want most."

Lupin prowled around Jack, lips drawn into a tight line. Her eyes remained glued to the horizon. She half-expected—and hoped—to see Will and Alphonse paddling to shore from somewhere off in the distance, looking haggard, but determined to make it to land. Such childish hopes, but they were hopes nonetheless.

Jack moved away from her, the sand crunching softly beneath his boots. He stopped, leaned forward and watched the compass. Lupin looked to the pirate. "Yes it does. You're sitting on it."

Elizabeth turned her gaze sharply towards Jack. "Beg pardon?"

"Move," he said, flailing his arms at her. She got up immediately as Jack whistled to Norrington like a dog, pointing to the earth before him. With a disgruntled look upon his face, Norrington stabbed the first shovel he had into the sand and lowered the second on his shoulder. He moved forward, stabbed the sand once more with his shovel and pressed down with a boot.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He was beginning to feel impatience rub at him when Will gave Alphonse a light shake of the shoulder. The former alchemist looked to the older man, who gave him a sharp nod. "Now."

Will braced himself before jumping off the bow and disappearing into the pristine, clear blue waters below. Alphonse moved himself closer towards the edge, aching muscles protesting at the sudden movement.

Then, he too, took the dive and soon he was engulfed in the warm waters. Above, he heard the _Flying Dutchman_ cut right past them, the massive hulking thing silently stalking ahead towards its goal.

When it passed, his lungs were burning, and he broke for the surface swiftly. Will was already paddling away for the shore. Alphonse followed with fervor.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Guard the boat, mind the tide…" Pintel barked lividly.

Ragetti was paying little heed. He was busy playing with the extra shovel they had stowed away in the longboat. Ragetti giddily balanced it on the palm of his hand and frankly, he thought he was doing good enough with what he was doing.

"I gonna join the circus!" He announced with a grin. It wobbled and he moved a step.

"Mind if I shine your shoes, sir?"

Elsewhere, Ragetti and Pintel were being watched from afar.

Davy Jones lowered his spyglass with a deepening scowl.

"They're here." He handed his spyglass to a sailor beside him. "And I cannot step foot on land again for near of a decade."

Maccus asked, "You trust us to act in your stead?"

Jones turned with a growl, "I'll trust you to know what awaits you should you fail!" With an intimidating step, Maccus backed off from Jones and the thick, brutish figure brushed him aside, looking ahead towards the gnarled bowsprit, announcing, "Down, then!"

Jimmylegs echoed Jones's command, as did Maccus and several others.

"_DOWN!_" They screeched with passion, both filled with blood thirst and heat in their voices.

The men held on as the ship's nose pierced through the waters, the sides filling up quickly with the sea. It engulfed everything and filled every space where air once was, the water gorging itself. It crashed over the men as they held on tightly and dove into the dark abyss below.

Ragetti and Pintel, both thrown from their own activities by the longboat, heard the sounds of thick, crashing waves and turned in time to watch as the Flying Dutchman slipped under the sea. Their mouths hung open as they stared for a long time. Ragetti's shovel fell with a dull thud against the sand and the two looked to one another.

They scrambled away from the scene as fast as they could with a strangled scream in their throats.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are delicious. ;3**


	52. Fight For the Key

**Fight For the Key**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**KageArai**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Shinzochi**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Dontmezwitme**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I have a very strong gut feeling that this is going to be a very long, very big chapter full of shit that shall hit the fan…as will the next few chapters be. xD**

**Also, separate parties will once again join into one, but then break off into two again for fights. xD So anticlimactic, isn't it? **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_One hell of a morning has turned into a bitch of a day!  
**- Jack Colton, "**__**Romancing the Stone**_**"**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The resonating thud was what drew Jack out of his meditative pose and state. Lupin's heart resonated that hollow thud and she sat up straighter from her position above Jack's seat in the sand. Elizabeth turned to look at Norrington's hunched over, still position. Jack opened his eyes and began to stand. Lupin followed after as Elizabeth crept closer, just as much. The three moved closer as Norrington withdrew the shovel and they leaned in on the hole before them, staring at the dark shape beneath the white sands. Hands descended, brushing away sand and revealing a chest below. They all pulled at it, yanking it from its tomb. Jack picked a shovel up and slammed the sharp metal end against the weathered and rusted chain. It fell with little resistance.

Breaths were held as Jack lifted the lid to the chest, almost as if impatience. Inside the chest were letters. Some were rolled up with ties binding them down, and others were folded up neatly, with wax seals still attached and intact. The papers looked aged, yellowed from many years for being locked away, but they had been protected for all these years from the weather that would have ruined them. Elizabeth first reached inside and picked up a letter up at random. She examined it momentarily, noting the wax seal before she slowly opened the parchment. Inside, she read briefly before realizing that she was reading, quite suddenly and almost immediately, a love letter.

Beside Elizabeth, Lupin had done the same, pulling a rolled up letter to her, and she slipped it out of its binding. It took her a few moments to decipher the difficult, yet elegant handwriting. She stopped after the first few words before glancing down at the signature. It read, in large loops and delicate twirls, _Davy Jones. _Her heart gave a little skip at this and she stared, momentarily distracted before she quickly put it back into the chest, not bothering to roll it back up. Jack began pushing aside the letters and below, a darkly polished object below all the letters inside. Elizabeth dropped the letter she was looking at in her lap and Norrington leaned closer. Lupin's heart gave another skip as Jack began to pull it out. For a moment, there was nothing as they leaned in. They waited for a few moments.

The thing inside began beat, slowly, laboriously.

"It's real," Elizabeth stated, almost in disbelief.

Norrington smiled a little, shocked himself. "You actually were telling the truth."

"Jesus," Lupin muttered, eyes widening.

"I do that quite a lot," Jack replied. "Yet people are always surprised."

"With good reason," A voice called behind them. Lupin snapped her head towards it, seeing Will standing behind them, soaked to the bone. Beside him, Alphonse was wrenching out his shirt as best he could. Elizabeth looked to the voice and there was a brightness that seemed to illuminate her features.

"Will," she breathed. She got up and moved quickly towards Will, throwing arms around him. However, Lupin numbly sat there, staring at Alphonse, in shock and relief.

_He's alive, oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—_

She got up quickly and skirted around Jack, rushing towards the young man. He didn't see her coming until the moment before she latched onto him, pulling him into a fierce and tight hug. He stumbled, but gathered his balance before they fell over.

"Oh, Christ, you're alive—Bish, she's been worried—and-and your brother—! _Jesus Christ!_"

He laughed, hugging her back. Behind her, there was the low hum of people talking, but she didn't pay them any attention. Instead, she pulled away for a moment and smiled at Alphonse a little. She choked on a sob. "We've been worried sick. You're all right, you're alive—,"

"What, you didn't think I'd make it? I'm hurt," he smiled at her, pulling a hand away to his chest in mock hurt. She laughed, giving him a light, playful punch in the shoulder. She sniffed again, her chin wobbling behind her smile.

"You're brother wouldn't have, I'm sorry to say."

He laughed again, almost tiredly this time. "Yeah…I'm sure he would have agreed." His smile faded and then curved into a frown. Finally, the barrier of silence between herself and the people behind Lupin and Alphonse broke. They tuned into it, in the middle of it all.

"—_every_ word was a _lie?_" The indignant, accusatory tone Lupin recognized right off the bat and she turned, finding Elizabeth confronting Jack.

"Pretty much. Time and tide, luv," Jack replied with a smile on his face that said, _All right, I confess, I'm caught!_

The frown had not faded from Alphonse's face and he turned to Lupin, a brow raised inquiringly, and perhaps a little worriedly.

"Shit happens," she growled in aggravation, brows ticked down in a furrow. Then her eyes narrowed and she squared her shoulders back, stiffening at the sight of Will collapsing to his knees before the chest. The knife his father had given him was in his hand.

"Will?" Alphonse noticed as well. Lupin stepped away, and Alphonse followed, worry lines creasing his face. "What's he…?"

"Oi. What're you doing?" Jack demanded. Lupin's hand twitched. Without realizing it, that same hand was shaking, just itching to grasp the hilt of her sword.

Will had the key out, the knife in his other hand. "I'm going to kill Jones," he answered.

Jack's sword was out in a moment's notice and had it pointed out at Will's back. Alarm raced through Elizabeth, and behind her, the former alchemist as well. Lupin only felt aggravation and a tinge of red begin to fuzzily edge around her vision. Her hand twitched closer to the sword, but a part of her held back. Norrington watched silently, plotting silently in his head.

"Jack!" Alphonse cried, a bit of anger coloring his tone.

The pirate paid him no heed and continued with Will, "Can't let you do that, William. Because, if Jones is dead, who's to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh?"

Alphonse's stomach churned and dropped a few inches at the mention of the Kraken. He remembered the chaos that the creature's appendages had created. He remembered how it had easily torn through the ship, severing it right down the middle. He remembered how the water surged between the ship's halves, and how that surge of water had turned into a gaping hole with ivory spikes ringing the hole, sucking men down to their doom. It sent an unpleasant shiver and painful reminder of his experience hours ago through his mind and body. And to think, it felt like ages ago, not hours.

Lupin worriedly watched him, before turning her eyes back to the confrontation. She had missed what was said, and only heard Elizabeth gasp as Will drew the sword at her side. Elizabeth nearly backed into her, but Lupin stepped aside just in time. The taller woman gave Alphonse a quick, almost confused look, before looking back at the confrontation before her.

"I keep the promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it."

Norrington drew his sword. Lupin's gut clenched as he smugly said, "I can't let you do that, either. So sorry."

Her jaw set hard. Jack smiled, almost as if in triumph.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually—," he began, but the swords switched on whom they were pointed at. Lupin growled. She drew her sword, remembering Jack's words on how he had chosen her as his "bodyguard." Alphonse made an unpleasant noise before he said her name, in shock and disbelief behind her. The tip of her cutlass pointed towards Norrington. He looked to almost lazily, though, gave her that unkind, mocking smile of his. Lupin felt insulted and she growled under her breath. Norrington ignored her.

Elizabeth watched, an abhorrence growing inside of her, a confusion topping it over nicely in a thick coating. She could find the logic of pointing a gun at a despicable man like Beckett, right at his skull and pulling the safety off as a scare. She could understand using it as leverage to get something that would help her and Will. But she couldn't understand the logic of men actually pulling out swords, threatening to stab and cut and actually mean to _kill_ one another. And, from the hardened looks in their eyes, she could tell they were ready to do so at any moment.

"Lord Beckett desires the contents of that chest. I deliver it, I get my life back." Norrington announced. Alphonse reached around himself, almost as if expecting a weapon to be there. Instead, he patted at thin air, and a silent, horrible realization came to him. He had no sword, no gun and not even a simple knife in which to use to his defense. He had his hand-to-hand martial arts, but this was no contest of skill with how to fight up-close with defensive and offensive maneuvers. This was a fight of blades. He was still in a state of incredulity, having seen Lupin draw her own weapon. He never would have expected it from her, but…things were changing. Had he really not noticed?

The fight started with a loud roar from Norrington. He attacked Will first, and Elizabeth ducked away. Alphonse tugged her away as the men and Lupin began dashing their swords against one another. Only Lupin and Jack had yet to clash and she seemed to be moving closer to the piratical captain, almost protectively even, Alphonse noticed…

The woman Alphonse had helped pull away suddenly yanked herself from him and shouted at them all, "Stop it!"

Will broke away from the other three. Alphonse tried calling back Lupin, but she either ignored him or didn't hear him. He doubted she didn't hear, so she was ignoring him he concluded. Lupin was at Jack's side, helping fight off whoever was behind them, and her blade met with Norrington's. She parried, blocked and ducked, smacking at his leg harshly with a well-placed kick to his leg. Jack dealt with Will, and the four danced around one another.

"Grab the key, girl!" Jack shouted at Lupin.

"Trying! Failing! Goddammit!" Lupin uttered in staccato grunts. Jack finally grabbed the key himself, and Lupin detangled herself from Norrington by smacking him across the chest with the flat side of her blade. Norrington, in turn, nearly collided with Will, and instead, blocked him and kicked him down into the sand. Elizabeth rushed to Will's side.

"Guard the chest!" He told her before getting up and rushing off. He didn't seem to hear her indignant and defiant cry of, "NO!"

Alphonse, however, did. A hard, cold pit began to form in his stomach, making it churn horribly as he watched the others fight at a harsh level. Lupin, however, seemed to be keeping up, although she was having trouble. He itched to help her, but he had no weapon, and neither did the woman who was rushing after them, screaming at the four.

"This is _barbaric!_ This is no way for grown men OR women to—_OH, FINE!_ Let's just pull out our swords, and start _banging_ away at each other! _That will solve everything!_ I've had it with wobbly-legged, rum-soaked _PIRATES!_"

The tirade that the woman—Elizabeth, he assumed, considering how worried she had been over Will—had gone on made him stop suddenly and gape at her. She had finished screeching at the top of her lungs, drawing his attention away from the men and young woman involved in the sword battle. She finally huffed angrily and began picking up rocks and tossing them at the sword fighters, who were drawing their battle further and further away from her.

Alphonse grimaced at each strangled yell she concocted, before darting his eyes back to the sword fight.

Behind him and Elizabeth, Ragetti and Pintel had arrived on the scene, watching the strange tirade Elizabeth had begun, stared at Alphonse, and looked to the foursome having a go at one another with their cutlasses.

"Now how'd this go all screwy?" Pintel panted beside his cousin.

Ragetti went to explaining, "Well, each wants the chest for hisself, don't 'e? Well, except fer Miss Hawkins, she's just helping out ol' Jack, bein' his guardian o' sorts an' all. Mr. Norrington, I think, 'e's tryin' to regain a bit of honor. Ol' Jack's lookin' to trade it, save his own skin. And Turner there, I think he's tryin' t' set'le some unresolved business 'twixt him an' his twice-cursed pirate father."

Ragetti crossed his arms over his chest. There was a brief moment of silent between them, in which Elizabeth filled it by shouting in the distance, "This is _madness!_"

"Sad," Pintel finally answered. He gave the chest over yonder a greedy glance. "That chest must be worth more'n a shiny penny."

Ragetti _tsk_'ed Pintel a few times, his arms still crossed over his chest. "Terrible temptation," he replied.

"If we was any kind of decent, we'd remove temptation from their path!"

They both glanced over at the unguarded chest, briefly noting that Elizabeth and the young man were both still preoccupied with either watching the fight—or merely screaming at the men and young woman in it to stop and throwing rocks in the process. The two pirates smiled to one another, laughed giddily, and took off.

The men and young woman in the sword fight, in the meantime, were getting further away, although their grunts and shouts were still heard. The resounding _clang_ of metal on metal was also heard quite distinctly in the somewhat still air. Alphonse flinched when Lupin nearly went down and he made to move forward, damn it all, sword or no sword. But he stopped at the sound of a thud beside him. Alarmed, he turned and saw Elizabeth collapsed on the sand. He hesitated, before moving towards her.

She was already up before he reached her, looking just as grumpy and ill natured as when the fight had first started, sitting Indian-style in the sand. She slammed her hat back on her head in a childish huff. He didn't blame her attitude towards the fight, either. Elizabeth was the first to notice the two figures moving away from the scene, carrying something between them first. She took a double take on the sight before getting up and darting off. Alphonse stared at her, then at the two pirates taking off. He hesitated briefly, before he took off after Elizabeth, who in turn was chasing Pintel and Ragetti.

With a silent growl building up in his throat, he promised to keep an eye on _something_ and be useful. And besides, if Lupin could have disabled the two who were retreating—_alone_—on a cannibal infested island with nothing but her sword, then surely he could take them on himself _without_ one. At least he wouldn't be standing idly by so uselessly anymore. He was tired of doing so.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She stayed by Jack's side, keeping up with him, Norrington, and Will. Silently, she thanked Edward for all those extra lessons he's given her, and for forcing her to learn how to fight both handed. She had nearly lost a hold on her right side and had flipped to her left just in time to parry a bone-shaking blow from Norrington. Her arm wobbled at his blows, but she kept up her parrying and her blocking, coming by more than enough close calls.

Lupin smacked at another blow, and hers was blocked. Her heart gave a harsh throb, realizing how close her thrust had come to stabbing Norrington in the gut. She wondered if she would really have the guts to do it, stabbing him like that so ruthlessly, but the moment passed and she was back at Jack's side.

"Doing fine, lass, just don't die!"

She growled in reply before suddenly they were tripped. Will stooped and recovered the key and kept on going. Lupin smacked her blade down, missed, and Jack's sword landed near hers.

"Bugger!"

"Shit."

Then they were back in the game, suddenly in the water and splashing it all up. The brine of the sea filled up their nostrils and their swords clanged against one another, continuously going at it. Jack ducked as Will and Norrington clashed blades. Jack rushed past them and nabbed the key once again. She was already rushing after Jack. Norrington grabbed Will before he could get away, however, shoved him to the ground and kicked the white sand at the man's face. He made a short, derisive bow to the man and said, "By your leave, Mr. Turner."

Then he took off, closing the distance after the tiring wolf. Her legs ached, her lungs were on fire, and her arms throbbed horribly. She heard Norrington and she turned, meeting him with speed and accuracy that he matched. He was stronger, she realized, as he easily pushed her back, herding her before he kicked at her kneecap. She went down and before she could get back up, was kicked back down again, this time a boot in her chest. She grunted, the air rushing out, leaving her gasping unpleasantly.

She made an attempt to stab him and instead slashed at his leg. He cried out in pain, turned to glare at her and she snarled back, wheezing. He glanced over his shoulder for a split second before turning fully and taking off after Jack. She wheezed again, staggered to her feet and clutched at her chest.

Will was coming. She turned tail and ran after Norrington, silently vowing to get more on him than a simple cut. She put another burst of speed on as she rushed through the jungle—a sudden change from the white sandy shores of the beach—and headed towards the abandoned church and its graveyard. She saw Jack and Norrington disappear inside the decrepit old building before she too entered.

Norrington was already engaging with Jack and she came up behind him. He turned, surprising her and she nearly fell off the stairs, but found her ground and stood it. He took on both her and Jack. They struggled up the stairs, a flurry of movements one after the other occupying each fighter. Jack above tripped from Norrington grabbing his legs.

Jack was up, but in Lupin's way. Norrington nabbed the key and Lupin had to back off to avoid getting slashed by Jack's sword. He made for another blow, and instead was pushed out into the air. Jack yelped and grabbed the rope that dangled before him and Lupin yelled after him, her heart racing even more. She growled and Norrington had no time to admire the key he had. She pounced on him, and he blocked her blows with almost relative ease and she made for a grab at the key. She was rewarded with a slashed hand.

Mortified, in pain and in shock, she withdrew her bleeding hand, and snarled and cried at the same time, thrusting another blow at the man. He flailed his hand, and just in time for Will Turner to come riding up the pulley rope that gonged the bell above them. He snatched the key away and the two were distracted, dumbly staring up at Will Turner.

"By _your_ leave, Mr. Norrington," Will taunted from above them. Norrington snarled, smacked Lupin and nearly pushing her off the edge like he had Jack before taking off. She tumbled, stairs stabbing into her back, her sides, her legs, her head and arms before she smashed against the stonewall below in a aching, painful heap.

A large part of her wanted her to curl up and just stay there. Instead, she grit her teeth and clenched her jaw, abused muscles protesting as she pulled herself to her feet and started back up the stairs. The bell continued to ring. Something told her it was important somehow, but she couldn't remember how. Something about it being like a beacon…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Jack finally managed to get himself down from the rope. He scaled the way up, ascending higher until he found an opening in the wall, peeking out and found Norrington and Will at it. Lupin was crawling on the wall after the two, looking haggard and pitiful, the poor small thing, but still doggedly tailed the two. He saw red, and noticed it was her hand that was bleeding. Damned fool, what was she thinking…?

He stepped carefully over the thin amount of ground he had, moving after the two. Lupin stopped herself, staring down nervously before she saw him. He raised a finger to his lips and she nodded, staying where she. He tiptoed his way after the other two, and then he was right behind bloody Norrington. Several times, he tried to gently pry the key away from Norrington's out held hand. He missed many times before he succeeded in prying it away from the former Commodore.

Norrington gave Jack little time to celebrate and turned immediately on the man. Will helped in parrying and thrusting at Jack from behind Norrington. Jack was surprised when another sword presented itself behind him and began helping. His sword got knocked away, but Lupin still had hers. She panted heavily behind him, and he heard her wheeze between breaths. She held her one sword against Norrington and Will's two swords, glaring heavily at the two, while Jack held possession of the key once again.

Norrington took pause to glance back at Will and said, "Do excuse me while I kill the man who ruined my life."

"Be my guest," Will encouraged him.

Jack, however, being the genius that he was, already was hyping up on those words. "Let us _examine_ that claim for a moment, former Commodore, shall we?" He began to slowly. Lupin kept her sword trained on the two men. "Who was it that at the very moment you had a notorious pirate safely behind bars, saw fit to free said pirate, and take your dearly beloved all to hisself…eh?"

Will narrowed his eyes.

"So, whose fault is it really that you've ended up a rum-pot, deckhand what takes orders from pirates?"

"_ENOUGH!_" Norrington bellowed. He rushed forward to slash at Jack. Jack ducked and rolled down the roof. Lupin backed away, while Norrington stared after Jack. "Unfortunately, Mr. Turner…_he's right!_"

He turned on Will. Lupin took advantage of this and went down the same way Jack did.

"Still rooting for you, mate!" Jack called over his shoulder as he sheathed his cutlass. Lupin trotted after him and he gave her a glance, a quick gold-glinted smile and patted her twice on the back. "Good girl, you kept me back safe."

"I said I would."

"You never said anything of the sort, but I suppose actions are always worth more than words when they count." He replied glibly. He raised the key on its worn leather cord and Lupin stared at it in awe. The battle behind her didn't take much concern on her list anymore. Jack looped the necklace around his neck. Lupin frowned before looking ahead of them.

She jumped and cried, "Jack, wait—!"

He yelped as he fell down into the old, dug out grave below him. Lupin clapped her hands over her nose and mouth, squeaking. Below, Jack recovered, looking up around him. "Oh…"

"Do…do you need any help?" She finally asked him timidly.

Jack looked up at her and sighed, almost exasperatedly, then waved a hand around her.

"Well, dearie…what do you think?"

"I'll, uh…I'll just…give you a hand then."

"Good girl."

Behind them, Norrington and Will had leapt upon the old worn and torn water wheel. The old wood creaked beneath them, but it didn't seem to matter. They were too engrossed, too engaged in their life-or-death battle. When the wheel began to creak, shift and slowly, it fell the few inches back to the earth below, it caused little alarm. The two paused momentarily as it began to roll before going at it again. They simply adjusted, keeping their footing about them. The wheel continued to spin, its momentum just beginning. They didn't even notice the cry of, "Jack, watch out!" from down below. They did, however, notice the pair of legs that came up from behind them, kicking oddly, as if trotting in midair. They stepped over or around the flailing legs. Norrington gave the legs a strange glance before he returned to his previous sword fighting engagement with Will.

"Get the key, get it!" Below, Lupin chased after the water wheel, squeaking and trying to step into its spinning self. "Get the key!"

She made a soft moan, ready to jump in when Jack popped back up. He smiled in relief, but his victory was short lived when an iron bar hit him in the head. He fell out in a slump while the wheel continued its sluggish pace.

"Jack? Jack! Oh, shit, shit, shit." Lupin stooped over, and she hesitated turning the pirate over. Finally she poked him. He groaned and she winced at the slightly reddish mark on his forehead. "Ohhhh…"

She shook him, glancing up at the quickly receding vision she had on the water wheel. She turned back to Jack and shook him a little more violently. "Jack, wake the fuck up! They're gonna get the key!"

He stirred, if groggily and blinked up at her. She helped him sit up before she tugged at his arm. "Come on, come on! The key!"

A light shone in his eyes and he looked to her, no longer tired and sluggish or dizzied. He shot up and moved ahead, not even bothering to call for her to follow. She did so of her own volition.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Are you sure this will work?"

Alphonse nodded. He kept his eyes upon the two up ahead, trotting with their newly stolen prize: the chest that Davy Jones had put his heart into. Elizabeth jogged beside him, looking between him and the two ahead worriedly. Alphonse, however, chose not to notice.

"Distract them and I'll take them from behind. Now, go!"

Elizabeth gave a jerky nod and darted ahead of him. He slowed to a jog. No need in wasting his energy sprinting after the two. They weren't going very fast, anyways. Elizabeth took a longer turn around them and came up from the side. She smiled at them, shaking her head lightly.

Then she reached for a sword she didn't have. He saw her smile nervously. The two pirates looked to one another and then dropped the chest at their feet, drawing their own swords. The plan had to be ditched; he had to move now. He had momentarily forgotten that Will had taken her sword for his own uses.

"'Ello, poppet," Pintel said to the young woman as he advanced. Alphonse moved in. He may not have a weapon, but he was just as capable a fighter and quick thinker without one. He was about to pull the drop on them, but he stopped just a few feet from the chest when the strangest sight came into view.

The _clang_ of metal on metal caught his ears at first and then the sight of a giant water wheel came second, really. He saw Norrington and Will fighting on top of the water wheel, walking and fighting while it moved. Jack and Lupin were chasing after it, Jack barking at the wolf to get a move on, to get the key.

They stared at the sight, before Al turned his attention back to Ragetti and Pintel. He got over the chest as they advanced on Elizabeth, but stopped. An axe had suddenly imbedded itself on the tree next to Elizabeth. She backed into the two, staring at the crew of Davy Jones, screaming and bellowing wildly. They waved an assortment of weapons in their hands. Alphonse felt his blood run cold at the sight of them. He snapped out of his reverie and shouted at the three, "RUN!"

Ragetti and Pintel were already going, rushing past him, their swords suddenly in Elizabeth's hands. They took off, with Elizabeth behind him and he hesitated long enough for her to catch up. "A sword, hand me one!"

It was thrown haphazardly his way, but as he fumbled to get it in his hand correctly, Pintel and Ragetti ran straight into a tree, the chest jerked from their grips. He and Elizabeth stopped side by side, a sword in each hand.

He and Elizabeth blocked an upper blow and he twisted away, reminding himself these were no longer human, no longer men, they were cursed. Fleetingly, he was reminded of the Homunculi. It passed as he slashed at the belly of one of the inhuman sailors and landed a solid punch in another's jugular. He choked, clutching his throat. He slashed at the sailor's hand, making him drop his sword and he picked it up.

"Sword!" He heard Ragetti cry out. He elbowed another cursed man in the gut, found an opening and tossed the weapon Ragetti's way. He made to get another sword, but an axe grazed his shoulder and he hissed in pain.

Alphonse began pushing back a sailor who was easily twice his size. He kicked out at the man's kneecap and sent a crippling blow to the skull. The cursed man staggered, dizzied by the blow. Al hunched over, tripping another. The tripped man fell on the dizzied one. Alphonse twisted his body, just in time to block a blow by another axe-wielder. He found himself face to face with Maccus. The hammerhead shark man scowled before he grinned, revealing his shark-toothed grin.

"_ELRIC!_" He bellowed, lifting his axe high. Alphonse stabbed him, giving it a twist. The shark-man roared and Alphonse backed away before the axe came down. It was just as he thought: these men could continue even if they were stabbed, clubbed, or even beaten to a death only a human could experience. He suddenly felt as though there were no remorse to feel for injuring these cursed men. There really wasn't any pain for them to feel, either.

He tossed his sword to Elizabeth and began fighting with his hands. He might as well; he was feeling as though he were getting rusty with his techniques.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Jack ran up beside the wheel, eyeing the swinging key. Lupin ran on the other side, keeping her eye on the two above, although it wasn't a very good angle. She saw Jack bobbing in an out of view on the other side. Suddenly he leapt into the wheel, running inside of it. Lupin jumped in behind him. She eyed the key, almost shouting out in victory when it was coming down. It was stifled in her throat when Will stumbled into view and he eyed the key. Jack saw the man as well, and his face fell.

Will swung into the wheel and grabbed the key. Jack unsheathed his sword. Lupin did the same. They attached themselves to one side of the wheel just as Norrington swung into view. Norrington viciously began slashing at her. In the back of her mind, she thought that before this, three had been enough inside of the water wheel. Now that she was in it, four was definitely too much. _At least I don't have to worry about Jack stabbing my back._

The wheel went in circles and her head pounded. This was definitely _not_ a ride from Six Flags. Well, not a very fun one; she was in pain and hurting all over. Whoever heard of going to an amusement park while in pain…? Jack pressed up against her backside and Lupin almost dropped her sword in fright. A jarring and fatal stab thoroughly reminded her that she needed it and she blocked it. Norrington grit his teeth and glared at her.

"Give it up, you're not going to win!"

"Oh, well you can fuck off, thanks very much!" She hissed back at him.

"Good Lord, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

She responded with a vicious stab. It nicked his ribs and he cried out before trying to twist the sword out of her hand. Her wrist protested and she nearly dropped her sword out of the intensifying pain. Lupin threw her weight down as it came to be Norrington's turn on the ground. He loosened his hold on her and she pried her sword hand away. He recovered with a grunt and a clenched jaw, scratching her calf. The wound stung and she whimpered. She knew she was running out of energy and fast. She was surprised she's lasted this long, but she'd be out of it soon. She parried yet another blow from Norrington's sword. _Hurry up, Jack, and get the damned key, already!_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He hadn't been able to recover another sword from the cursed sailors, but they made due with the three that they had. Alphonse was quicker than the other three, able to weave through the sailors with liquid ease, and he didn't mind if he had a sword or nothing at all. Either way, he could take out several of the sailors, but he knew he couldn't fight them all by his lonesome.

Continuously, the circling cries for a sword rotated between the four of them. Davy Jones's crew was relentless in their attacks. Al ducked from a cleaving blow and cupped his hands together to make a club, smashing it into the solar plexus of one of his attackers. The undead sailor doubled over before Alphonse brought his knee up to smash it into the face of that same sailor. Two more replaced the fallen sailor.

"Sword!" He cried. It flew in the air as he was backed into a tree by the two. He caught it, ducked as the two colliding forces joined together and imbedded themselves into the tree behind him. He slashed viciously at the cursed sailors' legs.

Elizabeth shouted for a sword. He threw it to her. Pintel threw one to Ragetti on request. He was back to his hand-to-hand combat skills. He sprung up from his crouched position and as another taller, heavier opponent approached, he tossed them over his shoulder.

While everyone was preoccupied with his or her battles, a lone crewmember that belonged to Davy Jones approached the unguarded chest. He laughed as he stopped before it, stooped over and picked it up. With a smile on his face at knowing he was going to get away with it, Hadras ran away from the battle.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Once again, Jack was pressed up against her back, and she up against his. Norrington bellowed at her as he pushed his sword towards her, intent on cutting her ribbons. She yelped and misguided its point away from her. He was close enough for her to smell the stale alcohol on his person and she gagged at the scent, kicking his hard in the gut. He grunted and lost his holding. He slid down a bit before pulling himself back up with a snarl. Before he could come back up to finish what he had started, Lupin heard Jack yell at her, "Jump, now!"

Lupin was surprised at the forewarning she was given. Norrington made to stab at her. He missed as she leapt out and onto the jungle floor, grunting when she landed on a rock. Jack landed not to far behind her. At the sound of shouts, she lifted her aching head to view the water wheel—and the two unfortunate men still stuck inside of it—to disappear over the ridge of a deeper incline. She curled back up for a few moments. Lupin wished she could stay that way until all her pain was gone, but the shuffling of footsteps and distant laughter made her grudgingly pick herself up in time to see Jack tossing a coconut. It made its mark on the giggling member of Davy Jones's crew.

His head disappeared at its bull's eye mark. Lupin sheathed her sword and it banged against her sore thigh. The head of the undead sailor began shouting directions at his body as she approached the fallen chest behind Jack. She crouched beside him, her abused muscles screaming profanity at her movements. Jack didn't grace her with even a glance, his gaze transfixed on the object before him. Soon, her attention was wholly on the chest as well. He paused at the body and it's missing head making a racket ahead of him.

"Oh, shut it!" He finally barked at the head. His attention reverted back to the chest. He inserted the key and twisted. The chest made sharp clicks and hisses before the sides popped out in thick, rectangular boxes. Jack lifted the lid. She swallowed dryly at the sight of the beating, bloodlessly pumping heart sitting in the corner of the decorative chest. Jack reached inside the chest and held it up, inspecting it. Lupin tilted her head at it, watching the quivering muscles.

The shouts of a battle approaching, however, disturbed her from her observations and she turned her gaze sharply towards the approaching crewmembers that belonged both to Jack Sparrow and to Davy Jones. Jack already stowed the heart into his shirt and slammed the chest's lid down. He fled without another word. With great effort, she pulled herself to her feet and dashed after Jack, passed him by, and kept on going, towards the beach.

Even injured, she found a way to leave them all in her dust.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Next chapter is gonna be pretty big too. This one was sixteen pages. YES. Bow down to me. Mwuahahaha.**

**Reviews are yummy, but critique is _delicious_****. ;3**


	53. What a Day

**What a Day**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Kanika Meskhenet**

**D3athrav3n92**

**KageArai**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

…**I had to use the quote. COME ON. Who didn't see this? Honestly, who didn't see this coming? xD**

**Also, I'm uploading this chapter and the very last chapter on Saturday. I want to finish off the DMC arc before I'm off to boot camp. I appreciate and love everyone for reading this story, and I hope to see you all when I come back! I'm sorry for all the rushed updates, but I hope that a triple update this week will satisfy you in the meantime! If you ever need any stories to turn to, you can check out my favorites and see what's there in the meantime. x3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_At the end of this day, one shall stand…one shall fall.  
**- Optimus Prime, "**__**Transformers**_**"**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Elizabeth was in possession of two swords and she blocked an attack from two sailors at once. She thrust them away from her, twisted her body as well as the swords in her hands and backed up. The swords imbedded themselves into two more sailors rushing at her from behind. They fell to the ground like the previous two.

Alphonse watched, impressed, but the time passed and he threw a roundhouse kick to another approaching opponent, sending him flying. A sword was tossed his way and he fumbled, thrown off guard. It nearly cost him as another cursed man rushed at him. He slit the usurper's belly and darted off.

Pintel and Ragetti rushed away, spotted the chest, and picked it up by its handles. They ran off, Elizabeth and Alphonse in tow. They needed to get back to the beach, back to where the longboat was. It was their only way to escape these hellish men.

The only thing everyone seemed to fail to notice, due to their attention being drawn elsewhere, was the key that was sticking out from the lock on the chest. It hadn't been there before. But, if one had noticed, they would probably wonder what it was doing there.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She was already at the longboat, hunched over, her sides hurting, a stitch stabbing at her left side, aching muscles screaming at her and she was still catching her breath. Jack came down the sandy and water-laden tracks back to the longboat, quite alone as he hastily slowed his approach. Lupin moved out of the way, clutching her stitch, wanting nothing more than to rest. She kept her eyes peeled out towards the island, though, heart still hammering from her run.

"Jar of dirt!"

She gave Jack a glance as he picked up his jar, poured dirt onto the longboat's bench, and thrust the heart of Davy Jones into it. Hurriedly, he began picking up handfuls and shoving it back into the jar to cover the heart. Lupin jumped at the sight of the puffer-fish faced man popping up from the muck of sand and water, his sword raised. He screamed as he launched himself at Jack, Lupin's warning too late. Jack grabbed an oar and she moved away as he began flailing it around to his defense, using it as a makeshift weapon.

Lupin drew her sword. Jack and the sailor began to move away from the longboat, slowly. She glanced at the bench inside, then at the approaching party that was still duking it out. She moved towards the bench, scuffing away at the dirt hurriedly. _Come on, come on! _

Muddy residue was left from her slick hands and she cursed under her breath. "Fuck!"

The fighting party began to approach closer, with Elizabeth and Alphonse wielding swords, and Pintel and Ragetti using the emptied chest to their advantage. She hissed under her breath, giving Jack a glance. She moved forward, sloshing water clumsily as she rushed to help engage in battle.

In the jungle, the water wheel was making its rapid approach, with Will and Norrington shouting as it continued to roll steadily along the jungle's steep inclines. Everything spun and it certainly wasn't very pleasant. All they could do was hold on tight and hope that they don't fall out and get crushed somehow under the wooden vessel. The wheel suddenly bounced and shook, jarring the two occupants. Sand and water began to kick up, replacing the thick green of the island's jungle. They closed their eyes to avoid getting any grit in them.

Down on the battlefront, Elizabeth found herself fighting side by side with Alphonse, faced with most of Jones's crew. Without warning, the same giant water wheel that contained Will and Norrington rolled over several crewmembers, smashing them deep into the sands beneath the water.

Both fighting parties stopped to stare, bewildered, as the wheel toppled over. With the distraction gone, the sailors from both crews began their fights again.

Will and Norrington suffered from nausea as they slowly and laboriously pulled themselves from the wheel, swords still in hand. Will pointed to Norrington, but lost his balance, seeing nearly six Norringtons at once and he looked away, holding onto the wheel as he stumbled out. Norrington plopped unceremoniously into the water.

Upon seeing the struggling crew of the _Black Pearl_, and his fiancé, Will muttered, "Right," and walking unsteadily, moved towards the battle, sword out ahead of him. He fell into the water, and did so once again before getting to his feet. Norrington gained his sense of equilibrium faster than Will and rushed towards the longboat, unguarded, and Jack preoccupied.

He immediately sought out the documents he had seen Jack take from Elizabeth the day before: a safe pardon for his life. He tossed Jack's jacket back into the longboat as he gaze upon the leather bound document, smiling briefly to himself. Below, he noticed muddy residue on the bench and he stared.

It clicked in him when he looked to the jar of dirt that Jack so lovingly clutched his way to Isla Cruces. Norrington looked up, staring at the pirate fighting off another inhuman sailor, battering him off with one of the longboat's oars. He looked back at the jar before nabbing it and yanking the lid open. The dirt inside easily crumbled over the form of the beating heart and he stared, entranced momentarily.

He yanked the beating thing out and with a slightly disgusted look crossing his face, he shoved it into his shirt, stuffing it deeply so that it would not shift nor show itself. The document went in second, hidden away in his coat.

Norrington felt a sense of pride overwhelm him, but moved away before anyone could witness or figure out his thievery. Pintel and Ragetti filled his space by the dirtied bench, shoved the chest onto the bench and moved towards the bow aft of the longboat, pushing it.

"We got it, we got it!" They chanted merrily like children.

Their victory was short lived as Will stopped them, sword held out. Confident they could get away with it, the two reached for their swords…and unhappily patted at thin air. They made due with what was in the longboat.

"Come on, Turner!" Pintel challenged. Will's smile faltered at the sight of the chest, and what was in the lock. Will forgot the two that had previously threatened him. Instead, he moved towards the chest and picked it up, examining it. Pintel and Ragetti's attention was diverted by the approach of another attack from Davy Jones's crew.

Norrington, Elizabeth, Alphonse, and Lupin all fought against the undead sailors, although even with their combined forces, they were being pushed back towards the longboat. Jack finally managed to disable his opponent. However, he stopped at the sight of Will holding the chest. Jack made due with smacking the oar at Will, rendering the man unconscious. Elizabeth saw him slump half in the longboat and she rushed to him, leaving the front. Al moved in quickly to replace her.

"We're fucking screwed, aren't we?" She growled unpleasantly.

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, I think you might be right," he replied morosely. They rushed back to the longboat, pressed against it. Pintel and Ragetti joined them, brandishing the oar and net they had taken.

"Leave 'im lie!" Jack called to Elizabeth when she tried to awaken him. "Unless you plan on using 'im to hit something with."

"I'll hit something all right," Lupin scowled under her breath. Alphonse cast her a glance, then tightened his grip on his sword.

"We're not getting out of this." Elizabeth said. The crew closed in. Even when they had repeatedly felled a crewmember, they simply got back up and reanimated their attacks, relentless and fierce. Norrington felt a vivid, brief sight of him looking at himself in the mirror, once more clean shaven, donning his new and clean uniform, once again back in the employment of the British Royal Navy—

"Not with the chest," he said. "Into the boat."

He grabbed the chest.

"You're mad." Elizabeth stated, almost in protest. His ruse was in play. The beating heart he had stolen bumped against his abdomen. They all thought it was still in the chest. Jack thought it was in his precious jar of dirt. Only he knew the truth of its location.

"Don't wait up for me," he said to her before he took off. Norrington waddled through the heavy water, his sword unsheathed and parrying deadly blows from the crew that closed in on him from both sides. They gave chase.

If he drew them off, then gave them the chest later—he'd be a free man, find his way back to Port Royal, and then he could trade the heart of Davy Jones to get his life back. It was a perfect plan.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They rushed back to the _Black Pearl_, still moored off shore from Isla Cruces. Lupin didn't realize her hand was still bleeding, even as she climbed the ladder back aboard the _Pearl_. Bish anxiously stood close by and upon seeing her friend, rushed to her, swooping her into a crushing hug. Lupin coughed, and spluttered a pain-filled protest, squeezing out, "Ow, ow, _ow_, hurts, it hurts, _ow_—"

Bish stopped when she heard her friend's whimpers and pulled away quickly, overlooking the damage. The mother hen instinct kicked in and she fussed, "Why didn't you—oh, right, you couldn't tell me that you were going. Jesus, what the—,"

She stopped when she saw Alphonse pulling himself back aboard, looking just as battered, and even more tired than her friend. Lupin let out a half-cough, half-laugh and stepped aside. "Go, go, go," she muttered, clutching her sides. "He's been itchin' to see ya."

With one last, worried but thankful glance at her friend, she rushed to Alphonse and he responded in kind, hugging the smaller young woman tightly. Lupin grinned lopsidedly, but stopped when a horrifying thought occurred her. "Oh, God."

She rushed away, pushing aside men, wincing when her cut hand bashed too severely against someone's body and she ducked below decks. Someone pounded after her, caught her arm and pulled her back. She yelped, other hand reaching for her sword instinctively, but another hand caught that and she was twisted around. Hands clamped on her upper arms, gently but firmly. She found herself staring into the familiar, fiery golden eyes that belonged to Edward. He watched her worriedly; an expression she rarely saw worn for someone other than his brother.

"Why didn't you tell me you were—,"

She pulled away. "Not now, Ed."

He made to pull her back, but she avoided his grasp and moved towards the cubby. A deafening roar, however, made her stop in her tracks. Men rushed past her, moving upwards, curious at the sound. She stopped in her tracks, breath caught in her throat and she made shallow gasps. Ed stared up, just as astonished at the sound, but he knew it well. He looked to Lupin, a steeled look in his eyes. She swallowed and hastily returned to the cubby. She heard Jack shouting, but blocked it all out.

"What's going on?" He demanded as she yanked away the curtains. It fell in a heap and she kicked the dirty thing away. "What happened out there?"

She began cramming things into her bag. Books, computer, art portfolio, they all went in. Bish's computer was shoved into her bag as well. Smaller electronics, stored away. Clothes were left alone. She began hefting it onto her shoulder, but then she regretted it and gave a muffled cry, clenching her jaw. Her hand protested at the effort, the shoulder strap stabbing mercilessly into the cut. Ed pulled the bag away before she could protest, holding it in one hand.

Above, Lupin heard a familiar taunt go off.

"_I got a jar o' dirt, I got a jar o' dirt, and guess what's inside it!_" Jack sung mockingly. She hadn't noticed she missed the obvious and resounding thud of him collapsing from the stairs earlier. Her mind had been too focused, but Edward had paused at the sound momentarily when it had happened.

He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when the ship began rapidly turning to starboard and a flurry of activity was in motion above. Lupin fell back into the cubby, surprised, her hip hitting hers and Bish's shared briefcase filled with their clothes. She threw it aside, before dumbly realizing her contact solution was inside. She grabbed for it before Edward pulled her to her feet. "Come on!"

She followed him numbly, hearing the sharp whistle of cannonballs sailing through the air. The ship shook to its core from the harsh bellows of the cannons of the _Flying Dutchman_. A sickening crack from above nearly made her stop, but she continued forward. She was still reeling from the vibrations.

"We have to put m-my bag in Jack's cabin—"

"It's locked."

"Not anymore."

He looked to her strangely. "How do you—?"

"Just trust me!" She shouted. He gave her hand a glance and frowned.

"Come on, we need to bandage that up."

"I don't care about it right now!"

"Well, I do! Just let me fix it up!"

She shut up, blinking back her surprise as she stared at him, stunned. He glared at her, hefted her bag and took the solution bottle from her, shoving it into the bag. He led her back up deck, through the throng of busied men, ignoring them all. Ed stared, dumbfounded at the gaping hole where Jack's doors that led to his cabin had once been. _She was right._

He didn't think on it. Al and Bish joined them and he stopped again. Lupin stopped beside him, almost like a belligerent puppy on a leash that didn't want to go anywhere. Bish eyed the bag questioningly, looking to Lupin for answers. Ed handed the bag to her. "Take this and put it into Jack's cabin, somewhere safe."

Bish gave a disgruntled sound at him.

"But, brother—," Alphonse protested. Ed interrupted him.

"Al, Bish, just do it. Lupin, come on."

Once more, he dragged her with him, and she finally followed willingly, holding her injured hand gingerly. She didn't even note the chaos around them, the screams of men, nor did she seem to register the tirade of cannons befalling them. The coppery smell of blood finally seemed to penetrate her senses and she glanced down at it. She felt horrified that she had been running around with such a deep wound. She wondered briefly if she'd need stitches.

She was sat down, she didn't remember how they'd gotten there so fast, but there they were, in the near darkness. Edward set to work quickly, splashing rum on her hand. The unexpected pain sent a lightning chill through her arm, tingling until it felt like her hand was on fire. She moaned and bit her lip, chest tightening and recoiling at the pain. He ignored it and impatiently pulled her hand back away from her, coiling bandages around it.

"Hold still! I don't want to have to redo these again!" He snapped at her. Ed paused at the shouts above, clenching his jaw tightly. _Sounds like hell up there…_

"S-sorry, it h-hurts." She strained, holding her breath. The former alchemist turned his attention back to her, frowning. Her arm quivered. She winced when he finished and tied it off tightly.

He leaned back, taking her appearance in fully now. He took in her disheveled appearance, dirt-streaked face, and bloodied clothing. He noted other cuts here and there, rips in her clothing. She looked more battered than the others did, more so than his brother. He felt a stab of pity for whatever she had to endure on that island and a flash of anger grip him at Jack for endangering her like this.

"I should have gone with you," he finally sighed, almost in regret. Lupin shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. Really, this isn't—"

"Look at yourself! You're a mess."

She fell silent, dropping her gaze. Footsteps pounded and he looked up sharply. Al approached them, a broad smile on his face. Above, the crew was heard celebrating their escape, shouting, hollering, and whooping away.

"The _Flying Dutchman_—we're leaving her behind! We're faster than her!"

Lupin's eyes widened and her heart gave a horrible wrench in her chest. "Oh, no…"

His smile faltered and she stood. She was thrown back down by a sudden and short grating stop of the ship. Ed grappled her and pulled her up to keep her from falling over completely. Alphonse felt his own blood go cold when he realized why Lupin had looked so devastated at his news. He only just realized it too late.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"We're out of range!"

Enraged shouts spread like wildfire throughout his crew. He did not bat an eye at the situation.

"Break off pursuit, run on light and douse canvas!"

Maccus approached from behind, questioning him, "We're giving up, sir?"

Davy Jones did not need to look at him for Maccus to see his cruel, heartless smile. He could already feel that shark-toothed grin of his at his back, matching his own. Only Maccus had another element to _his_ nature: bloodlust.

Immediately, he had the men rounded up and they twisted the wheel. The whip cracked and the men screamed, both in agony and deep inside, anticipation.

The wheel rose slowly, at the beckoning of a whip's crack and the cries of pain. It faltered, bouncing several times before it came crashing down with a resounding, deafening thud.

Below, in the dark depths, the leviathan awoke and stirred once more. The sea grew still and all life fled as the Kraken rose up, its master calling it to the surface once more. It was ready, as always, to do its master's bidding.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The precious jar of dirt fell and shattered on the deck below. A horrified, frightened Captain Jack Sparrow stared at it bug-eyed, emitting a low moan as he rushed down to it.

The damage was done, he knew, but the contents in which the jar of dirt held were of greater importance. He collapsed to his knees, scrabbling at the shifting sand and grit.

"Where is it? Where is the thump-thump?"

The heart was gone. He felt terror unlike any he's ever felt in his life stab at him like a freshly sharpened cutlass. He dug harder and only scraped his fingers against the wood beneath the dirt.

"We must have hit the reef!" He heard a man shout.

"It's not a reef!" Will called clear as day. Jack stopped scrabbling, realizing that the heart was gone. A flash of anger tinted his gaze. Bloody Norrington. Damn to the Devil, he should have known—

"—The Kraken."

He almost felt his heart stop and he lifted his head, his anger gone. A new, fresh wave of cold fear washed over him like a wave of icy water. He had no leverage. He had no hold over Jones, no tool to bargain with. His ship was caught and the Kraken was here.

Jack promptly stood as Will began shouting orders. He didn't mind, as he stepped off to the side, men bouncing around him.

Might as well…get away now.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The forecastle filled with men, and a faint buzzing sound began to occupy the back of her head. The portholes were pulled away and light streamed in faintly. Lupin stood beside Edward and Alphonse, looking beyond them and around. Bishquet stumbled down the steps, looking terrified.

"That fucking thing is _here!_ It's gonna _kill_ us!"

"Not if we can help it. Alphonse, come on, let's get going. You two; go up top and help in any way you can!" Edward moved towards an empty cannon, and Alphonse followed. They knew how to use the guns, they had been taught by Gibbs and LeJon weeks ago. It wasn't exactly rocket science and that was much more difficult than handling a three hundred year old cannon, in Ed's opinion.

The girls began to protest, shouting above the men's bellowing around them, following the two. Ed turned and he almost seemed to tower over them, intimidating even. "If you don't go, we're all dead! Just do it!"

Alphonse was a no-go either. He cast the two a stern gaze, lips puckered into a thin line and he jerked his head meaningfully towards top deck. "Go, we'll be fine."

They faltered, before nodding and rushing above deck. It was just as chaotic up top and as soon as they appeared, spears were thrust into their hands and they found themselves waiting alongside Elizabeth and several other men, scared out of their wits. Fear clenched their limbs when the sight of the gruesome tentacles. They backed away, shivering at the haunting moan the creature made when pressed against the _Pearl_.

"Will?" Elizabeth called. Below, Will began coaching those manning the guns.

Everyone top deck began backing away, closer towards the middle, almost as if it were a safeguard against the creature. The tentacles crept closer like silent snakes, waiting to strike. "Will?"

He still did not answer, telling the men to hold their positions. Pintel snapped at him, telling them they had probably waited long enough.

"_Will!_"

He gave the signal to the men.

"_**FIRE!**_"

The guns rattled the ship, the aftershock jerking everything and lingering still. The result was explosive, smattering gore from the Kraken's tentacles out and beyond where the cannonballs had pierced through. One tentacle smashed upon the deck, crushing a longboat before sliding gracelessly back into the waters. More guns went off, and the tentacles retreated, sliding back into the cool retreats of the ocean.

Men rushed towards the gunwale, watching the last traces of the horrid thing disappear into the blue waters. A cheer ripped through the air.

Bish stood where she was, trembling, and she dropped the spear.

"Oh, my God…that thing…i-it was _h-here_. Oh, God, we're gonna die."

"No, we're not." Lupin said, almost forcefully. She looked around, eyes darting everywhere before they landed on the gaping hole where Jack's cabin doors once stood.

"I think when the shit hits the fan, you should hide up in there—"

"Like hell I'm hiding! It'll find me!" Bish retorted angrily. She glared at her friend and Lupin blinked back her abashed surprise. "Like _hell_ I'm leaving you alone, and _like_ _fucking hell_ I'm being left alone, _again!_ I'm staying!"

Lupin stared at her friend, wide-eyed, before she grinned, if grimly, at her. "Don't get killed."

"Bitch, I want my fried calamari by _tonight_. I'm fucking getting it."

"Hey!"

They turned, and saw Ed and Al approaching, dodging around a rushing trio of wizened men. "You should probably find a safe place to get to, that thing is going to be coming back."

The two stood their ground. "We're not hiding. There's no point. If we're going down, we're going down fighting."

Bish jumped at this, giving her friend a mild glare. "I'm not dying, fuck that shit."

"Your language is showing."

"Good!"

The crew was in an uproar once again. They rushed around and past the four. They didn't stop and stare this time. They followed one another, pressed up against both sides of pirates, going below decks. Above, as the four descended, light filtered in brightly. Alphonse gazed up and saw the grates being pulled away, allowing more light to shed below. A net was at the bottom most chamber of the ship, and men were tossing barrels out into it. He marked them instantly as gunpowder barrels.

A sailor looked up and in his prominent French accent, he called, "We are short-stocked on gunpowder! Six barrel!"

Gibbs shifted in the crowd, moving towards the stairs as Will descended. He called to the man above the activity, "There's only half a dozen kegs of powder!"

"Then load the rum!"

Talking stop. Men stared. Even Lupin was speechless and she stared helplessly at Gibbs. She emitted the tiniest squeak, mouth open, but no one noticed.

Gibbs finally shouted, "Aye, the rum, too!"

His face twisted in agony at this as he took his leave. A hand patted Lupin's back sympathetically before she moved to help drop the kegs of rum into the net below with the others.

"We'll get more later," Bish's voice called to her. Lupin made one last whimper as she picked up her first keg and tossed it below.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She couldn't believe her eyes, as she stared out across the horizon. Not too far off from the ship, she could make out a longboat, slowly and arduously rowing away. And, the rower in that particular longboat was Jack Sparrow, all alone and still going. Elizabeth glared out at the man, clenching the line she had in her hand tightly as she whispered, "Oh, you coward."

Her anger took another turn and disappeared altogether when the ship shook like an earthquake had hit it. At the turnstile wheel, Marty, Cotton and several others held onto the spokes for support. Cotton's parrot flapped his wings, unsettled and panicking with a heart racing twice the normal rate. Below, it was an unsteady nightmare. More men fell down, their equilibrium less than those above deck.

Bish nearly dropped the barrel she had in her hands, and stood stock still, eyes wide and breath wavering as it passed her lips. Shakily, she looked to Al and he knit his brows together tightly. "Go. Go now, go. _Go!_"

They didn't need to be told twice. Barrels were dropped as they bolted. The four made it to the steps leading to the top deck before all hell broke loose.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The Kraken made its tactical assault by smashing all its tentacles into the _Pearl_'s portholes. It easily destroyed the ship's sides, and the tentacles ravaged the insides. Men ran away as fast as they could, trying to avoid being taken away, from being killed or worse by the devilish creature. Cannons, planks and shards of shattered wood splinters, and men flew in all directions. It began to methodically take out the blasted weapons that had dealt horrible damage to its limbs. It was certainly a new attack strategy; one the Kraken had never dealt with in the past, but there was always a first time for everything. Taking out the guns was probably a first for the men as well.

However, even above the woeful cries of the men a deck above him, Will managed to get his shout heard. "HAUL AWAY!"

Above, Gibbs stood and watched as the chaos on the second deck unfold. When he heard Will yell to him, he turned away from the sight and cried to the men at the wheel, "_Heave! Heave like you're being _paid_ for it!_"

"Put your backs into it!" Marty screamed at the men. Lupin faltered a moment, lingering on her spot before she rushed forward and took a spot beside Cotton. The bird continuously flapped its wings, screeching in fright. The old man took no notice of her and neither did the other men. The wheel turned slowly. It began to speed up slightly, however, when she lifted her head and noticed the Bish had come to help the man on the spoke ahead of her.

A garbled snarl poured from her lips and she exerted another burst of energy from her tired, worn out limbs. Her hand burned, but she kept going.

Below, the wheel made its work known as the net full of rum and a short pile of gunpowder began to rise. Will clambered onto the net, hanging on for dear life as it gradually began to pull through the second deck. Men screamed in terror, and ran this way and that, looking for a safe haven from the beast that threatened to snatch them up.

One man made it up the stairs to the top deck before a thick tentacle smashed mercilessly through it, leaving its prey stranded on the two lower chambers of the _Black Pearl_. The tentacles, like fat snakes, writhed beneath the _Pearl_'s decks. One reared up and snatched another man up and he helplessly shrieked. The tentacle rapidly began to exit. Pintel and Ragetti stood on either side of the exiting tentacle, hearing its suction cups batter against the wood in a sickening wet smatter sound. With a resounding thud, a pair of legs slammed against the wooden hull and the two men snapped their attention to them.

They looked away immediately, though, at the resonance of ill-sounding cracks. The tentacle pulled and yanked ruthlessly. The man's screams were drowned out by the sound as he was given one final, firm yank. Then he was gone. They trembled in fear, hearts racing unchecked.

Rifles fired above deck, while the wheel kept going. Will kept shouting out at those above to keep it going. More men were taken away by the writhing appendages, swooped below into the waters and fed into the nightmarish gullet of the Kraken. Water sprayed on deck from the flailing tentacles. Gibbs had one man in his grasp, trying to pull him away from the tentacle that was bound around his waist. "I gotcha! I gotcha!"

"Don't let me go!" He cried desperately. The tentacle gave a harsh yank and he went sailing into the air. "_Shoot me!_"

Gibbs pulled his pistol out and fired. He missed, but had no time to reminisce. He turned tail and fled. Elizabeth stared at the chaos around her; the rifle Will had given her still in hand. She saw the net full of flammable items rising, with Will clinging to the side of it.

"_Clear?_"

"_Higher!_" He called, waving his arms up.

More rifles went off. She turned, briefly staring to see it was a few men and standing among them, the Elric brothers side by side. When the appendages flailed in their direction, they ducked and dropped their weapons, moving stealthily towards the wheel.

"Let's get it up higher!"

They didn't have a chance to do so. A tentacle rose from the quarterdeck and curled several times around the mast.

Men fled in every direction as the coiled limb fell, smashing the wheel. The line holding the net fell several long feet, but stalled suddenly. It had caught and stilled in place. This did not discourage Will as he pulled out his sword and started shouting, taunting at the earless limbs.

Pintel and Ragetti, in the meantime, had found another way up top. Pintel handed a fearful Ragetti an axe, just as a man rushing past them was swooped up into the air and disappeared. He followed his cousin with jittery nerves.

Will continued his taunts.

"I'm over here! Come on!"

A tentacle crashed on deck, taking out a section of the gunwale. It knocked into the net, tossing it like a helpless doll in the air. Will's foot was wedged into the net and held fast. He flailed as he fell, dangling from the net by only his caught foot.

Another thrashing limb sailed through the air. It writhed and squirmed, plucking up another sailor. Lupin had picked up a fallen rifle and began shooting until her powder and ammo were gone. She dropped it to the deck, sprayed once again with ocean water, soaked. Bish huddled with another rifle in her hand, hands trembling as she backed into the alcove behind the quarterdeck's stairs. The cannons there remained untouched. Someone yanked her down and for a terrifying moment, she had thought a tentacle was taking her away. She screamed reflexively, fighting for all she was worth until someone shouted in her ear, "Stop it, you're fine! Stop screaming, dammit!"

She panted, her voice gone. She shook in fear and clung to the arms holding her, heart beating against her ribcage senseless like a bird trying to escape. The same arms pulled her back into the safety of the alcove parallel to Bish's hiding place. The person holding her kept her pinned, while they squeezed into a corner next to the cannon. Bish watched her with wide eyes, the rifle visibly trembling in her hands.

Elizabeth, however, was not hiding. She moved forward, watching the swaying net and her fiancé hanging by his foot. Trepidation held her fast as she held the rifle up, keeping her from firing, even as Will shouted her to do it.

Behind Elizabeth, something writhed and crawled towards her. Three slithering limbs slunk across the ruined cabin, past the doorframe and one snagged Elizabeth by the ankle. Bish watched in horror and she aimed but her arms shook. Elizabeth screamed, beating her hands down, trying to grab hold of a purchase. Lupin had similarly copied Bish's position, only with her pistol. By the time she had it aimed, Elizabeth was dragged off behind the door.

An axe came down unexpectedly, severing the tip of the tentacle. Elizabeth kicked it away from her foot as the offended appendage whipped around, Ragetti and Pintel standing above her. The tentacles slurped themselves back out the window whence they came, leaving a bloody trail behind.

Lupin made to get up, pull herself away, forgetting someone was holding her down. She wriggled when she did realize, and the voice shouted in her ear again. "Wait!"

The arms around her waist gave her a firm reminder. The voice in her ear as well reminded her of who it was and she relaxed, knowing it was Ed. She stopped struggling just as Elizabeth whipped past, but she too stopped short. LeJon had grabbed the rifle, and just as he aimed, another one of the many slimy limbs grabbed hold of him and he shrieked and the rifle dropped. It fell on the edge of the stairs at the top of the quarterdeck.

Bish stood, and turned, firing the rifle in her hands. It gave a dull click and she stared at it in disbelief. Fury briefly lit up on her face and she tossed the thing away from her and she shouted an unintelligible curse. Lupin pulled herself away, surprisingly whoever it was that was holding her and she put herself by Bish's side. The young woman glanced at her, before she turned her gaze back to the swinging net. Will worked furiously at the rope, cutting away with his father's knife.

Elizabeth half-ran, half-crawled up the short steps to the quarterdeck. She reached the gun, only to find a boot pinning it down. She desperately began pushing it away. Alphonse had procured another rifle and fired two rounds before it became useless. Reloading was a waste. He tossed it aside, and ducked as another tentacle swung. He made his way towards the girls and his brother.

Will suddenly fell to the deck. Several seconds later, a single shot rang out. An explosion and a blossoming heat wave shattered the chaos, splitting it in two. The shockwave sent people in close range staggering backwards and falling down. Fire rained down on the deck. Those who had survived covered themselves from the fiery downpour. The Kraken moaned hauntingly and when the smoke-tinted world cleared, it revealed several tentacles severely damaged.

They writhed less and swayed gingerly, fire still burning the edges. They slowly sank away and down into the depths. The ship rocked on its natural element, no longer held still by the Kraken's power. People slowly began to peel themselves from their hiding spots, stepping over bits and pieces of burning Kraken flesh.

Bish was slowly pulling herself to her feet, but was given help halfway as Alphonse tottered over her way. She held onto him to keep herself from collapsing, her legs feeling like jelly. Adrenaline still pumped in her veins and her heart still raced. Behind her, she heard her friend breathing in short, shallow gasps.

Finally, Lupin said in a falsely cheerful and quivering voice, "Fried calamari, anyone?"

Bish proceeded to whirl on her friend with newfound energy and punched her hard in the shoulder.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Goddammit. I wanted more detail in this chapter, but its better this way, actually. Plus, my beta, Bishquet, is always reminding me this story is a fanfic, not a novelization of **_**Dead Man's Chest**_**. If it were, then it'd be more than all right to be writing up all the details I wanted. xD**

**If you want the full action, then watch the movie yourselves. This chapter was a bitch to cut up and dissect through. And I had much more planned for it, but whatever. I think without all those details, this looks nicer and easier on the eyes. Details would have to make you stop reading for a minute or two to settle your brains from all of the action. It's just too much! x3**

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are **_**delicious**_**. x3**


	54. Hello Beastie

**Hello Beastie**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Shinzochi**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**I cry every time Jack dies. Goddammit, I hope you're all happy. T-T **

**I am also sad…because this is the very last chapter. Well, it's the last chapter in the **_**Dead Man's Chest**_** arc of the story, and sadly, it'll be the last chapter I'll post for three long months. I know it's sad, but think of it this way: I'll be back in time for **_**Up is Down**_**'s third "birthday"! Wow, this story has taken forever, but it's coming together slowly! Just some in between stuff, and then **_**another**_** movie!**

**…And then the prologue, but that will be a separate entity! I think…**

**Oh, and congrats to **_**D3athrav3n92**_**; you've helped hit the 300****th**** review! Thank you! (Tosses cookies and brownies your way) And thank you for all the other wonderful reviewers out there! You can have some too! (Tosses)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_We have nothing to fear…except fear itself.  
**- Franklin D. Roosevelt**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Gibbs and Marty looked over the gunwale, through a smoke-tinted world, the crackle of multiple fires crackling away behind the two of them.

"Did we kill it?" Marty asked warily.

"No…we just made it angry. We're not out of this yet." He moved away, the sense of urgency in his voice as he shouted to Jack, "Cap'n, orders!"

Jack's reply was prompt, crisp and clear. "Abandon ship. Into the longboat."

The rifle passed hands, but Gibbs stared past it and turned questioning towards his captain. "Jack, the _Pearl!_"

Lupin turned her eyes onto Jack's frame, seeing the indifference in his face, but she heard the pain in his voice when he replied, "She's only a ship, mate."

Her throat tightened as a hand gently descended on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. She barely heard Elizabeth's reply when she turned to face the person behind the hand. Bish gave her a worried look and Lupin looked away.

"It's not just a ship," she said quietly. "It's…it's a home."

No one else heard except for her friend. She would have offered the wolf a hug, but she knew it wouldn't fix the soon-to-come loss of the _Pearl_, the very ship that was about to be taken down.

"—We can get away as it takes down the _Pearl_."

The words only stung more to hear them from another person's mouth. It hurt twice as much hearing it from Will and the Hispanic woman saw her friend visibly flinch. Bish closed her eyes, realizing that she was just as attached to this stupid ship as her friend. She felt it hurt in her heart, knowing that they had to run away from the ship that had served as home—even as a haven—for several long, grueling months since their rescue.

"Abandon ship." Gibbs agreed, breaking her thoughts. "Abandon ship or abandon hope."

They set to work, preparing to load and move into the longboat. Alphonse appeared at her side, a rifle in one hand. He looked to her, grim and smoky-faced, tired and looking older than he really was. He gave her the tiniest of smiles, reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She pressed against him, arm around his waist, head against his chest. She took a deep breath and held it for a moment, his arm around her shoulders, hand on her upper arm. He rubbed it a few times, almost as if in reassurance. He gave her another gentle squeeze and whispered to her, "We need to get going now, come on."

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and she reluctantly pulled away and moved towards the ladder below. Lupin trailed after them, but she stopped. Her heart gave a skip before she turned away, realizing hers and Bish's precious—and not to mention, too advanced technology for this time period—were still in Jack's cabin, sitting in her book bag. _No, no, I almost forgot it, I can't leave it, shit—_

Edward called after her, asking where she was going. She called back to him, waving him off, "Just a sec!"

"Wait, get back—!"

"_One second!_"

Gibbs shouted at her as well, but she was already skidding inside the cabin. She almost slipped and fell on something. She staggered, gaining her balance and briefly examined the floor, hit with instant disgust. It was blood from the Kraken. She turned away, sickened at the sight and the smell as she darted her eyes back and forth, looking for her bag. The wink of the buttons in weak light caught her eye and she pounced on it, lifting it to her shoulder.

Adjusting the strap, distracted, she stopped as she stepped back out into the smoke and haze-filled world before looking up.

She froze on the spot, watching a scene she hadn't expected to run into, nor planned to either. She didn't even realize she had zipped past Jack when she had started towards his cabin. He hadn't even tried to stop her, yell to her, like Ed had.

Lupin stared, wanting to turn away, yet she couldn't look away.

Elizabeth pressed Jack against the mast, lips locked, while one hand slid down to lock Jack's wrist in a manacle. The resounding clack as the lock clicked into place echoed loudly in Lupin's ears. She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat, unable to speak, even if she wanted to. Jack stopped kissing her as Elizabeth glared into his eyes, jaw tightened into a clench. Her fingers trailed away from Jack's hand. Lupin could already see that wane smile on his face, even if she wasn't facing him. She didn't even notice her sore shoulder protesting at the weight on it.

Elizabeth mumbled to him, too low for her to hear, but she knew the words well.

It was after Jack and not the ship, she tells him. She wasn't sorry.

Pirate, he calls her.

Her only response was to turn away and make for the ladder.

Lupin inhaled sharply, almost as if the paralyzed spell had broken.

"Ja…Jack?" She called out meekly, like a child walking in on a parent when they were beyond the breaking point of their stress levels. She felt like that child all over again and she took one, tiny step forward, but stopped when he noticed her. She froze up all over again, the lump in her throat returning, constricting her airway. Her eyes misted over as she addressed him again. "Jack?"

She blinked them back, suddenly feeling useless. He assessed her only for a moment, smiling falsely at her. "Go on, luv," he called to her quietly. "Go, before the boat leaves you 'ere with me."

"I can't, I can't just leave you here, I—," she weakly protested, but she stopped at his stern gaze. She hastily pulled back a hand she didn't realize she'd raised towards him. It snapped sharply by her side, almost as if she had been burned.

"Go now, darlin'. You've done yer job marvelously helpin' on the _Pearl_. Go on now. Cap'n's orders."

_Last orders_ suspended heavily in the air, trailing ghost-like. Her hands trembled before she nodded, numb to the core, his words weighing down on her heavily.

She remembered climbing down, bag biting into her shoulder. Familiar hands helped her into the boat, kept her from stumbling and falling into the water. She sat down, squeezed tightly between two people, voices buzzing to her. She nodded, swallowed, barely listening to the concerned or biting words thrown at her.

The longboat pushed away from the _Black Pearl_, and her captain.

Ragetti and Pintel steadily rowed away; their power double that of Jack's lone self from earlier before. Lupin couldn't bear to look at the ship any longer, knowing she had to be forced to abandon the very man who had saved hers and Bish's life months ago.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He yanked uselessly at the manacles, muttering a steady mantra of, "_Bugger, bugger, bugger!_" over and over again. It swiftly came to a stop when his ship pitched in an unnatural way. He glanced over his shoulder, noting it was enough to roll a heavy cannonball.

Then his gaze fixated upon a lamp. He drew his sword, an idea forming in his mind. Jack reached, and he managed to slip the sword into the lamp's handle. He smashed it against the mast and poured the slick oil onto his manacled hand.

Slowly, his work came to fruition. He wriggled his hand this way and that, using the oil's slickness to pull his way free from the manacle. However, his rings became an issue. He refused to take them off, nor sacrifice them. Instead, he comprised, slipping the thick, decorative bulges of the rings into the palm of his hand, tucking them away.

Jack pulled free, victory written on his face as he stared at his freed hand. Then he felt a presence, big and nasty, at his backside. A shadow fell over him and he turned.

Captain Jack Sparrow found himself staring at the closed maw of the Kraken, the thick, dirtied teeth poking out of the soft pink flesh surrounding its mouth. Then that mouth opened, revealing rows upon rows of sharp teeth, all in a circle, closely knit together. A spew of gunk flew from the mouth as the Kraken roared at him, spitting the strange spew on him.

Something else came flying out and landed by his feet.

Jack stood there for a few moments, before shuddering and wiping off the strange-smelling gunk from his face. He glanced at the jaws of the monster, and an outlandish calm fell over him as he said quite coolly, "Not so bad."

It didn't seem to bother him in the least; not the foulness he was expecting. It certain didn't smell like that of a thousand rotting corpses. In fact…the breath of the Kraken was probably only matched by his own.

He glanced at the fallen object by his feet and elation filled him. "Oh!"

It was his hat, untouched and looking in rather prime condition. It certainly was a sight for sore eyes. Jack bent over and picked it up and after swinging off the spittle; he placed it on his head.

The calm enveloped him as he faced the Kraken and smiled.

"'Ello beastie."

He drew his sword and moved forward to face his enemy, his fear. The mouth reached for him, teeth drawing him in as he swung his sword. If he was going to die, he might as well do it on his feet.

The last traces of light in his world disappeared as Captain Jack Sparrow was swallowed by the Kraken and the massive leviathan began to drag his ship down to the dark depths.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

As the _Black Pearl_ slowly descended into the deeps of the sea, Davy Jones watched from afar. The tentacles of his precious beast disappeared with the last of the black sails that marked the _Pearl_ so well. When they slipped away, Jones pulled his scope away and declared like a grim judge confirming the finalities of a trial, "Jack Sparrow…our debt is _settled._"

The words rung clearly in the air as he collapsed the scope in on itself. Palifico stated casually, "Captain goes down with his ship."

Beside him, Maccus affirmed, "Turns out not even Jack Sparrow can best the Devil."

Something clicked in Davy Jones and he jerked his head slightly to the side at that comment. He whirled on his men. "Open the chest."

They exchanged looks, looking amongst themselves in confusion.

Jones turned to Maccus and shouted, "Open the chest, I need to see it!"

His tentacle beard shuddered around him in his agitation. Maccus, Palifico, and all his other men turned away from him as he looked towards the horizon where the _Pearl_ had been dragged down. He felt a faint spark of fear fringe on the edges of his mind. He had to confirm that his heart was safe. It was not a want; it was a need.

The hiss of the chest was what he heard as he approached, shoving men aside and setting himself down and he opened it.

Inside was nothing.

His men cowered in fear as he cursed the very man's name he sentenced to the Kraken, screaming it to heavens. It echoed across the open waters, resonating upon a small longboat and its occupants, hurriedly rowing away to safety.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Lord Cutler Beckett lifted his eyes at the sight of Mercer and his news. It did not bode well after his question. However, he had a lingering feeling that a "but", was to come on and he proved correct.

"One of the ships did pick up a man adrift at sea. He had these." Mercer moved forward, interest in his tone of voice as he lifted the very documents Elizabeth Swann had stolen from him at gunpoint barely a week ago. The documents were slapped onto his desk and Beckett lifted himself higher in his grandeur seat, opening them up to view the contents inside.

A voice called from the doorway, "I took the liberty of filling in my name."

He beckoned for the dirtied, unshaven man to come forward. Norrington jerked his arm away from the blue and gold clad soldier holding his arm. He gave him a derisive look as the man left before sauntering over.

"If you intend to claim these, then you must have something to trade." Beckett began, quickly delving into business. "Do you have the compass?"

A fringe of disappointment hit him when Norrington shook his head. He was, however, not disappointed. "Better."

He dropped a dirty, greasy looking item in a leather bag onto his clean desk. It shifted ever so gently, pulsating and beating at even intervals. Beckett leaned forward with interest at it.

"The heart of Davy Jones."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Gibbs navigated their way back to Tia Dalma. Tortuga was too far, and there would be no help or comfort, nor proper shelter to be had even if it were closer. It was well beyond dark as they gradually and painstakingly crept deeper into the swamplands that served as the home of Tia Dalma. However, they did not remain in darkness for long. Flicking lights came in and out of sight through the thicket of cypress trees. They did not move and flutter like fireflies and when the ramshackle, captain-less crew floated and steered around bends and closed in, they saw shapes in the water, illuminated by candlelight. Faces glowed softly in the little fires' lights, quiet and gazing sympathetically to those in the longboat.

More of the swampy residents joined and followed the longboat deeper, walking in the waters, holding their candles. The river soon glowed with light and their path was lit easily. They passed a few whose eyes shone with tears and several who had let those tears fall. They hummed, a low sound that joined one another until it vibrated in the air. It was hauntingly, if grimly, beautiful and no one could explain why.

Everyone avoided talking, just as silent as their swamp-living counterparts. The longboat was tied off at the little excuse of a dock and they formed a single line. Tia Dalma welcomed them with much sadness in her voice and her usual eclectic and diverse personality had seemed to wash away. In her place, a more down-to-earth and reserved woman had been put in her place.

Lupin found a place to sit in the cluttered shack, and collapsed in her spot, refusing to budge, curled up in on herself as much as possible. Bish found a seat next to her; a higher one and she took it. A numb sort of silence filled her and she found no words of encouragement or comfort could be formed, not even for herself. It felt horrible.

No one spoke for a long time, as Tia Dalma moved to prepare something for her large group of guests. Lupin remained frozen in her curled position, not even bothering to glance at the figure who had decided to sit next to her. She didn't even need to confirm who it was, she knew it already, and Edward knew she already knew.

Useless. That's all she could think of herself as. _I could've helped him. I could've…_stopped_ her, could've done something other than standing there and _letting_ it happen!_

Deep down, she knew this to be a lie. One look from Jack had stiffened her up, ramrod straight and everything. Even if she wanted to disobey what he told her, she couldn't find the strength to do it and Jack knew it, too. He sent her away, aware of her intentions. And she let him turn her away, let herself walk away. So all she could do was call herself spineless, useless. A coward.

Sobs built up in her throat, choking her and despite her attempts to stay still, her frame still wracked up.

A few glances were sent her way, but no words of condolences or pity were given to her. She was expressing what they all felt, only a little more than what they would do. An arm pulled around her shoulders and scooted her closer. She turned into the shoulder and cried. Bish turned away and wiped at the remnants of tears from her own eyes, sniffling.

"Dammit, Loopy…" She muttered, her voice cracking. She leaned against Alphonse, closing her eyes. There was no comfort from this. Not from the sight of seeing everyone broken like this, and not from the knowledge that Jack was gone.

A mantra began. Will had taken a seat at Tia Dalma's table and with his father's knife, snapped the tip into the table. It struck true every time, splintering the wood and little shards peeled away as he pulled the knife up. This went on for a long time, and no one bothered to tell him to stop. Even Edward put up with the vaguely annoying _shunk_ every time the knife stabbed wood every few seconds.

Tia Dalma came back, a large platter with cups surrounding several candles in the middle of the platter. She stopped before Elizabeth first, regarding the young woman with soft words. "Against de cold, an' de sorrow."

Elizabeth took a cup, but did not drink. Tia moved away and towards Will, stopping to look him in the eye as she softly said, "It's a shame. I know you're t'inking dat wit' de _Pearl_, you coulda captured de Devil an' set free your fa'der's soul."

Will took a cup gracelessly, setting it on the table he had moments before been stabbing it endlessly. "Doesn't matter now. The _Pearl_'s gone."

Tia Dalma moved towards the curled, sobbing Lupin and Ed. He took two cups for them both and shook her as the obeah woman moved away. "Drink this, come on…" Lupin peeled her eyes open and gave the cup a glance. She took it in shaky hands and sipped once, then another. Bish held her cup stiffly in her hands, staring blankly at the liquid contents inside. Alphonse took a small drink at his as Tia Dalma moved towards the others.

"Aye…and already the world seems a bit less bright." Gibbs replied. "He fooled us all, right to the end." He moved back inside the shack. "But I guess that honest streak finally won out."

Elizabeth gave Gibbs a glance. Bish watched her with slightly narrowed, if tired eyes. Surprise bloomed silently in her when she saw wet smears on the woman's face, realizing that she too, was crying.

"To Jack Sparrow," Gibbs held his cup up.

Ragetti replied with a tear-filled voice, "Never another like Cap'n Jack."

"B-best pirate I e-ever knew," Lupin stuttered as she lifted her own, another tear streaking down her face.

"'E was a gentleman of fortune, he was." Pintel agreed, mirroring Ragetti's pain-filled voice.

There was a pause before Elizabeth filled in, "He was a good man."

She hastily stole a drink from her cup, as did everyone else. Even Edward had raised his cup in a silent salute to the man. Will remained quite still moments after everyone else had taken a drink, before he too, brought his cup to his lips. He looked to Elizabeth afterwards, seeing the plain devastation written on her face. He couldn't figure out why, but he wondered if it had anything to do with the…exchange…he had seen between her and Jack.

Will faltered, before he quietly said, "If there was anything could be done to bring him back…" Her face and gaze lifted slightly to his. It was enough for him to stand and move towards her. "Elizabeth—"

"Would you do it? Hm?" Tia Dalma stepped before him, regarding him with sharp eyes. Then they shifted to Elizabeth. A sly smile began to tug at her lips. "What would you? Hm?" She looked over her shoulder and gave it a gentle shrug as she asked them all, "What would any of you be willing to do? Hmm?" Then she turned to face them all. "Would you sail to de ends of de earth an' beyond? To fetch back witty Jack an' him precious _Pearl_?"

She smiled at them in that mysterious, sultry manner of hers. Gibbs shifted on his spot, letting his gaze move around the lot.

Lupin, however, was first to say, "Aye."

She was looking to Tia Dalma, her eyes still glistening with tears, but a new sort of determination had set itself in the depths of her eyes.

"Aye," Gibbs called after her, nodding.

Pintel stood, looking just as determined. "Aye." He strongly replied. Beside him, Ragetti also stood and repeated the affirmation. In the corner, Cotton raised his cup and his parrot repeated, "Aye-aye!"

"Yeah." Bish also nodded. She looked to Alphonse and he gave her a tiny smile before glancing at Tia Dalma's expectant gaze. He nodded to her quietly. Edward pursed his lips before nodding himself.

"Yes."

Lupin looked at him in surprise. He pursed his lips at her, not divulging in her questioning, stunned gaze. Tia Dalma turned to look at Elizabeth and the woman nodded to the obeah woman. "Yes," she mirrored Ed quietly.

Lastly, she turned to Will and he nodded and answered softly, "Aye."

Tia Dalma smiled, and it held a mystifying sense to it as she replied, "All right. But if you go an' brave de weird an' haunted shores at world's end, then…you will need a captain who knows d'ose watahs."

As she moved closer to Elizabeth, she turned with a graceful sweep of her feet, slow and gradual. Her eyes glued themselves to the landing of stairs.

As if on cue, feet slowly pounded on the wooden steps. Elizabeth got up, as did Lupin and Edward from their floor bound position. Bish and Alphonse slid from their spots as Pintel, Ragetti, Marty, Cotton and Gibbs squeezed in closer.

Lupin felt her heart stop and skip several times, as well as everyone else's, at the sight of Captain Hector Barbossa slid into view. He stopped at the end of the stairs and calmly asked them all, "So tell me…what's become of my ship?"

Then he smiled, Jack the Monkey leaping onto his shoulder with a little excited titter. In his hand, he brought up a bright, solid green apple and took a large bite out of it. He laughed at them all, juice dribbling down his chin and beard. The monkey screeched, smiling that familiar monkey smile while everyone else simply stared dumbfounded, and Tia Dalma smiled at her masterpiece work.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The drums beat and the Pelegostos danced before their chief.

The wily creature had given them many a slip before they finally caught their god. He was granted the power of chief, given decorative tribal-ware and sat upon the throne.

Two guards stationed themselves besides the strange beast, ensuring that this time, their god will not run away. Not like the last one…

As the festivities continued, the prison dog from Port Royal had replaced his keys with a very large, and rather scrumptious bone. He did not know what the humans wanted him for, why they had chased him, or why they placed such a strange thing upon his head, but well…he had a bone. And that was all that made him happy.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Yeah…I went there. I put the dog scene in. I had to. It made me cheer up a little more after the cry-fest I had going on before I decided to put it in…**

**Okay, then, my lovey-dovey reviewers…the time has come. From here on out, _Up is Down_ and all my other writings and stories are put ON HOLD until November. If there's any other information you need, it's on my profile. I shall see you all when I get back and when I do, I'll be a big, tough Marine! xD**

**OOH-RAH!**


	55. Settle of Dust

**Settle the Dust**

**Reviewers: **

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**Shinzochi**

**Dontmezwitme**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Keiyou**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Whoo! We finished the **_**Dead Man's Chest**_** arc! It only took, like…fifty-something chapters to get past that point! Xd**

**And…I'm back from boot camp. Ooh-rah. I'm a Marine now. Bitches. xD**

**So, yeah. I'm back. Wewt. So enjoy this chapter; it's been sitting in my computer for far too long. x3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_The best memory is that which forgets nothing, but injuries. Write kindness in marble and write injuries in the dust.  
**- Buddha**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She heard Edward breath beside her, "No way…it's not possible."

Alphonse broke the uncomfortable silence that had plagued them all. "But…you were dead. I saw you!"

It was perhaps not the most intelligent or thoughtful of words to have blurt out, and Al seemed to realize his blunder a few seconds too late. He ducked his face when Barbossa's yellowed eyes turned sharply towards him. Others eyes turned to him as well, surprise and suspicions coloring their gazes. Then Barbossa merely smiled and he laughed at the young man at first. Tia Dalma joined in with an airy smile on her face and she let out a single laugh. "Dey didn't believe you could be brought back from de dead, Bahbossa. But here, you can plainly see…he lives."

She nodded towards Edward and Alphonse both as she spoke. This only earned even more unwanted attention towards the younger Elric, but he blocked out the stares.

"But you were dead. You were shot—!" Elizabeth began to protest, her eyes wide as she watched Barbossa chew with fervor on his apple. The monkey screeched and interrupted the young woman, making her jump. The monkey made a large leap toward Lupin. She flinched but held still as Bish jumped away and gave a dark mutter towards the creature. Jack fiddled at her baubles for a moment, chewed on one of them and then leapt down and bounded back to Barbossa. The man watched in silence with interest, as did the others.

"Seems to me he likes you."

Lupin blinked slowly before answering softly, "I was nice to him. Guess he remembers."

He pulled another amused smirk before turning his eyes back to Elizabeth. "Aye, I was dead. Shot, as you seem to recall quite clearly, in the heart. Bit of a hard time surviving those types of death-warranted wounds."

Gibbs furrowed his brow and opened his mouth to speak, but Edward beat him to the punch as he stepped away from Lupin's side, moving forward accusingly. "The dead can't be brought back to life. It's impossible." He turned his molten gaze towards Tia Dalma, who had not lost her smile. He pointed a metal finger towards her. "How is this possible? It shouldn't be possible."

Barbossa laughed, that smile never leaving his lips as he sharply retorted, "And you would know this how, personal experience? Perhaps a lover or…a dearly departed family member."

He eyed the metal hand, the torn sleeve and the metal forearm that the hand was attached to. Edward narrowed his eyes, but did not answer. He seemed almost frozen at the accusation, at the man's sharp and penetrating gaze. He clenched both fists at his side, his anger renewed. He opened his mouth to snap at the dead-risen man—

"Edward…"

He stopped, closing his mouth, and he looked over his shoulder. He met his brother's gaze first, who shook his head and nodded towards Lupin. He turned his eyes towards her next. She watched him, almost pleadingly as she said, "Please, just stop. It doesn't matter. Please…"

He stared at her with her pitiful, watery eyes watching him, pleading silently with him to stop his tirade. Ed clenched his jaw tightly from his built up retort and his anger slowly simmered down. A presence made itself known right in front of him and he backed away at it, finding himself being towered over by Barbossa. He was taller than Jack and seemed to have a more imposing presence.

"Ye'd best listen to the little lass. You don't want to be straining your brain at this late of an hour, boy." Barbossa gave him that amused smirk like he knew a secret that Edward didn't—and frankly, Ed knew the man could hold that much that smile, because he probably did. But it wasn't just amused; it held a cold and ruthless light to as well, something darker than he ever knew Jack to possess.

Grudgingly, he pushed himself back as whispers broke out and questions arose once more. Tia Dalma and Barbossa batted the questions aside, and set the business out like it needed to be.

"We're in need of a ship—and not to mention a real crew." He gave a meaningful, if mockingly, look over everyone's faces. "And we have neither. We also need a map."

"We can get plenty of maps from any port. We can prob'ly find one somewhere in here!" Pintel replied snappishly.

"Well, Master Pintel, you're probably right about that. But I'm not talkin' 'bout any ordinary map. See, the map we need is hidden out in Singapore."

"Singapore?" Will parroted, narrowing his eyes. He did not want to believe this to be happening, did not want to trust this man. Whatever plans there are to be put into play, he was wary to proceed with the very man who had ravaged and plundered Port Royal, kidnapped Elizabeth, nearly killed him, and sent his undead crew after the only hope they had moored off shores of Isla de Muerta. So, whatever plans that involved a newly risen Barbossa certainly put him on edge.

Barbossa nodded to his inquiry. "Aye. Singapore. Under Captain Sao Feng's protection. An' he be the only one who can give it to us. So, we'll be scopin' out the shore and figure out some way to flag a ship down—and take it fer our own as passage to Singapore."

He turned to venture back up the flight of stairs, but stopped, hand on the rail. "Now, please…as yer new standin' captain, I want ye all t' be followin' me orders. Is that clear?"

He was answered with uncertain looks passing along between one another. He only smiled, both in that amused and mocking way of his, that usual manner he took with other people. The monkey on his shoulder clambered from one side to the next, certainly elated that his master was alive and kicking.

With a last laugh, Barbossa said, "I'll just leave you up for the night to be lettin' this settle in."

He mounted the stairs and left them alone with the strange obeah woman still smiling at them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The heart sat before him, no longer in the dingy little leather sack Norrington had brought it in. Or, perhaps he should be correcting himself on that aspect and be calling the man by his new title. Admiral James Norrington. It certainly had a better ring to it than Commodore James Norrington. He had also been quite amused at the flabbergasted stare Norrington had given him when he had been promoted. It was certainly a complete turnaround from the rather pompous attitude he had brought in when they first formally met. No ceremony was needed, no extravagancy for the title, either. It was simple, done and over with by his word and by his word alone.

Now Norrington was being properly cleansed of all the filth and crusted over journey from months on end that he had tracked into his office. He must surely be reveling in that; he looked like he had been living in a pigpen for the last six months or so. How close Beckett had come to analyzing that small detail.

Beckett tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, and he smiled. He was alone in his office, quite alone. He toyed with the idea of summoning the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ to his office, but one obstacle prevented him from doing so.

He had not a clue what would happen if Jones were to step foot on land when it was not his day to do so. He knew of the legend, to be sure. But what would happen if he were to break that particular agreement of his curse? Would he simply vanish or melt or simply die? Would the heart crumble into dust if its owner were to step even a single pace onto of dry land? Or would he simply be not able to, prevented by some type of ancient and archaic barrier? He did not wish to risk losing his only leverage over the control of the oceans. Beckett pulled his hand from his desk and rolled back a sleeve carefully and then touched the heart. It was congealed and slimy to the touch, but he pressed against it.

It gave an extra hard and quick thump in response. He smiled. "So it begins…"

He imagined summoning the _Flying Dutchman_ to Port Royal. He conveyed his instructions, and perhaps a part of him felt rather silly and childish to be performing delicate work so…archaically. It felt like he were a child with an imaginary magical wishing rock, thinking and hoping as hard as he could to get his wish. But, he pressed on. The heart continued to transmit convulsive, fast-paced thumps as he continued with the mental strain.

Moments later, he felt as though it were enough, like he had done his part. He rolled his sleeve back down his wrist, pulled out a clean handkerchief and wiped at the grime on his fingertips while calling for Mercer.

The man entered, his stride even, clean, and sharp like a soldier's should be.

"Prepare a long boat, I'm expecting company to arrive fairly soon. I wish to board the _HMS Endeavor_ to greet the expected party."

Mercer only raised a brow in question. Beckett pinched his lips tightly in response before Mercer nodded, asking no questions.

"Yes, sir. We'll be ready within thirty minutes."

"Make it twenty." Mercer nodded once more, and turned to leave. "Oh, and Mr. Mercer…"

He stopped, looking back at Beckett. "Sir?"

Beckett gave motion towards the heart. "Package this properly for transport. A temporary one, mind you; I'm expecting its more permanent residence to be arriving with our…guest quite soon."

Mercer gave another sharp and curt nod. "Yes, sir. Right away. Is there anything else?"

"Have Admiral Norrington ready as soon as possible. We'll be leaving post here within a few short weeks and he'll be left in charge of his old town ward for a little while. At least, until his new ship arrives from England. I've sent word to the King, and he should be receiving it soon enough."

"What are we leaving our post for, sir? If you don't mind the inquiry at all, sir."

"Not at all, Mr. Mercer." Beckett stood and casually strode with militant elegance towards the balcony he and William Turner had naught but spoken to one another barely a week ago. "We're going hunting."

"Hunting, sir?" Mercer continued his inquiry. Beckett smiled at the interest in the man's voice.

"For pirates, of course. When business with our arriving guest is taken care of, I want you to give the order that every pirate, pirate sympathizer and protector be put under arrest. My request with the King has already been approved of having complete control down here in the Spanish Main, with no backlash effects. I expect every naval vessel out there, taking out every pirate port, haven, and town there is to be had. Also," he added, turning back to Mercer, "when the entire fleet is collected, have Admiral Norrington be transferred to my ship. We'll send for him, when the time comes, of course."

"Of course, sir," Mercer agreed. "Your orders are clear. Your longboat will be ready in twenty minutes."

Then he turned towards the heart, replaced it in its bag and left him. Beckett turned towards the bay, looking out it once more and he smiled. Today was certainly a very bright and very new day. His plans were unfolding properly and without a hitch. What wrinkles there were in the fabric would be straightened out and all would be fine. He would merely shape his patience to the situation. He was good at handling patience.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Morning came, but the feeble sunlight barely reached through the thick canopy of cypress, trees and the mist that still clung to swamp from last night. What weak tendrils that pried their little fingers through the greenery cast odd shadows all around the swamp, throwing it into obscure shapes.

Sleeping quarters within Tia Dalma's shake had been tight at best. Finding room amongst the cramped room was hard to find. A few of the men were actually sent upstairs to sleep in the slightly more roomy quarters with Barbossa; a notion that chilled them to the bones just thinking about. Elizabeth took the back room in which Barbossa's dead body had been in previously, although she did not know that, and Tia Dalma did not indulge to tell the woman either.

Not much sleep was gained for the occupants that had taken to fill up the rest of empty space in the obeah's woman's home. Most simply lay awake, others tossed and turned. Others had nightmares and refused to go back to sleep when they awoke from the terrible dreams. The evidence of lack of sleep was clear enough when, once more, they all gathered downstairs, with Tia Dalma creating a strong coffee for her guests, as well as an abundance of food. "You'll be needing your strengths latah on. Best to start keeping food down." She had told them.

In the meantime, Elizabeth had found that wandering around the little shack and staring at the odd baubles was a perfect way to kill time. Most of the contents inside of the jars suspended from the ceiling, however, made her lose interest in them quickly and found staring at the items more…her level was easier on the eye.

In her short, tightly cramped meandering, she came across a small form sitting curled up in the corner of the shack, half hidden away. Elizabeth tilted her head to one side, advanced a few paces and found it was Lupin sitting there. She was sitting on one of the many large, odd baubles in the shack. She soon identified it as an old chest like those sold in London as the younger woman's sitting perch. Wrapped around her, in great, fat coils of pale ivory, was a very large snake. Elizabeth found herself halting a great deal and she stared at the massive beast, whom Lupin was barely giving any mind to like it were a cat or a dog.

Almost as if sensing her, Lupin turned her head towards Elizabeth, while a hand ran up and down the scaly creature, almost lovingly. She turned her head away after several seconds of eye contact, not bothering to say anything. Elizabeth dared to venture closer, and found herself a perch on an old barrel. It was close enough to speak quietly with the young woman, but they had enough distance between Elizabeth, Lupin and the very large serpent she was handling.

"I'm sorry."

She hadn't meant to blurt it out. She hadn't even a clue how the words had come to form, nor where they were before the moment they spewed from her lips. Elizabeth stared at the young woman, a part of her hoping Lupin hadn't heard. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, she was not granted this and Lupin turned to look back at her. Elizabeth felt like she should have shrunk away from the silently smoldering eyes that had locked onto her.

"Thought you weren't going to be sorry." She uttered with a coarse hiss. The snake meandered around her shoulders, the head disappearing behind her neck.

Elizabeth remained silent and she had to drop her gaze. Shame filled her, and grief roiled inside right along side it.

"You saw?"

"Saw, and heard…everything." She replied quietly. Elizabeth wished the woman wouldn't whisper so. She felt as though this would be better if the woman was screaming at her. Something other than this silence would have been better.

"Did you…love him?"

She lifted her gaze and was stunned to see surprise in Lupin's face. This time the wolf dropped her gaze. "No…I wouldn't…say love. I respected him. A lot." She took in a breath, and Elizabeth heard it shudder with the threat of built-up tears. "And he saved mine and Bishquet's…and Ed and Al's lives. He coulda let us die out there. He coulda tossed us overboard. But he didn't. He…he had my respect the day he had us sign the logbook, in his cabin."

A heavy, discomforting silence lazily settled between them. It seemed to crawl sluggishly over their exposed skins. Lupin pulled the snake from crawling down her backside and held it at arm's length above her. She stared into the serpent's eyes before bringing the head back down and giving it a kiss on the back of the head. Elizabeth pursed her lips at this, and looked away. Lupin was certainly much braver than she to be handling such a large and…rather unattractive and dangerous creature.

"I see," she finally answered Lupin softly. Lupin glanced at her and when Elizabeth met her gaze, she saw a hardened steely glint in those stormy blue-gray eyes.

"I don't think I can forgive you, Lizzie."

Elizabeth dropped her eyes for a moment, then brought them back up. She saw the stern seriousness still built up in her eyes.

"I know," she answered, nodding. Lupin stood and slowly began feeding the snake onto of the many perches it had in the hut. "I know that."

"I know what you did…you thought it was right. I know you did…" The woman sniffed and even if she tried to hide it, Elizabeth saw the tears brimming her eyes. "But I don't think I can ever forgive you."

The snake freed the last of its grip of Lupin and hung on the branch, content to laze about. She stood there for a long while and Elizabeth stood, her height easily overtaking Lupin's. She reached for the woman's hand and then, almost like a wary, estranged mother, pulled the smaller girl into a tight embrace. She sobbed on her shoulder.

"I can't forgive you, but I…I don't hate you. I don't know why, but I just…" Her voice trailed off and she clung to Elizabeth. She gave the girl a soft squeeze and Lupin hugged back harder. She silently waited, allowing rather nervously, for the girl to continue crying, to get it out of her system.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Edward found Will outside of Tia Dalma's hut, right outside the closed door and leaning against the railing. He slipped outside and beside the older man. Silence hung between the two of them. The swamp dwellers had left their candles in just about every nook and cranny that they could find. Some of them had been snuffed out, but many of the candles still burned brightly. A few looked rather new.

It added an even more haunting attribute to the swamplands. Will gave him a glance, fairly brief and that was it, as Ed approached. He leaned against the railing besides the older man.

"I don't understand it," he finally stated out loud. Ed gave him a glance. "I saw Barbossa die. Jack shot him. In the chest, here."

Will motioned towards the area over the heart, his brow knit tightly together. The faint murmurs of food cooking inside accompanied the smell. Ed, despite his infamous hunger, was surprisingly not hungry now, even at the smell of food. He felt sick, actually. But, his thoughts of food, while inappropriate for the conversation, melted away as instantly as they had come at the mention of Jack. He blinked back his surprise at this, and he almost laughed.

"What, Jack killed that guy?" His smile faded soon, almost immediately, at the serious look on Will's face. So…it wasn't a joke. Jack had really killed the man inside, that was now walking, talking and breathing after being dead for…how long? Four months, five months? A year?

"I just…don't understand it. How could she bring him back?" Will continued, turning away. He shifted his weight from one foot to another.

Edward pursed his lips, unable to answer. He found it just as frustrating. When he glanced at his hand, he felt it double. Will noticed the young man's gaze and the hardened look in his eyes. The metal hand creaked and Edward frowned. Dammit…he needed oil for his joints and it took him all this time to notice—

"You've tried it, haven't you?" The former alchemist didn't move, except for his eyes. His thoughts of properly caring for his automail vanished as easily as his thoughts of food had. Will stared at him expectantly. "Haven't you?"

Ed looked away and clenched his hand, again, hiding his wince from the sounds of creaking joints.

"I paid a steep price to do it and it didn't even work. My brother…paid much more than I did, though. It took too long to reclaim what had been taken from him."

"What was taken from him?" Will asked in earnest, if annoying and persistent, curiosity. Ed pushed away from the railing slowly and pivoted back towards the door.

"His whole body." He answered with a hiss to the man. Will blinked in surprise at the coarse answer. Edward gave one last glance to the man. "And I'm pissed as hell someone else was able to do something I couldn't…without the consequences attached. That's not how equivalent exchange works."

He left Will to brood on that as he stepped back into the meaty smelling house, the prospect of eating anything very unappetizing for the first time in a long time for Edward.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish found she had no appetite. Despite the rather delicious—if hinky—looking food on her dish, she found no urge of hunger to eat it. She poked it at several times, took one or two bites, and then left it alone. She felt isolated suddenly. Even surrounded by all these people—Gibbs and Cotton, her friend and even Alphonse—she felt alone.

She pushed her plate aside, and didn't notice the apprehensive look she was being given by Alphonse.

It seemed as though too much had been shoved at her within the past few days, and she felt as though her assumptions were just. They had nearly been discovered and possibly eaten by cannibals; they had been hunted by Davy Jones and his crazy-ass giant excuse for a calamari dish; Alphonse had taken his own brother's place on Jones's ship after beating back Lupin's offer; Lupin had nearly gotten herself killed out on Isla Cruces and had a bar fight the previous night. There was so much more, most of which she had not even found herself in the middle of, and she still felt overwhelmed. Alphonse was back, perhaps a little more raggedy and haggard than when he had left, but he was alive.

She found that to be one of her shining rays of hope in the situation. Hell, _she_ was alive. She was counting her lucky stars that she hadn't become Kraken food.

But, her mind fell towards Jack and the _Black Pearl_'s destruction. Yes, she knew that they'd head to Singapore, get the map and meander over to that very large, and very terrifying drop off the face of the earth, and get both Jack and the _Pearl_ back…

But it still hurt inside. Jack was gone.

Gibbs' words had been right. The world did seem bleak and lifeless without him. Maybe even…the color was washed out on most things around her. Or was it simply the candlelight? She was surprised at her own attachment to that dingy, black-sailed ship, or to the _Pearl_'s eccentric captain. He had always been the life around them, even if she hadn't realized it at the time. Those words, she didn't exactly remember them on the dot, but she remembered they were something along the lines of when you lose something, you won't know how much you miss it or value it until it's gone.

It was something along those lines, and whatever the words really were; it hit the ball right on the spot. She missed the _Black Pearl_. She was used to its pitches and rolls, it's constant movement with that of the sea. Standing on land was suddenly too…strange, too awkward for her. She missed hearing Jack call, "Oi, oi, oi!" or calling her adorable, platonic names, or just being amusing in general. It hurt just as much when she was worrying over Alphonse and whether he was safe on the _Flying Dutchman_ for his mission with Will or not.

And, while she didn't see eye to eye with the pirate, she still felt it hurt her that he was gone. They hadn't exactly been friends, but she felt like she had lost someone near and dear to her. It was strange how she could feel like this towards a fictional character, but she stopped at that, realizing the hypocrisy when she thought of Alphonse.

A part of her wanted to cry, and most likely, no one would blame her if she did. But something held her back and she was grateful. If she started, it'd probably last too long, and drain her more than she already was.

"Here, drink dis."

Startled out of her thoughts, Bishquet jumped and lifted her gaze sharply, finding Tia Dalma standing before her, holding a cup out to her. Bish took it without thinking and took a deep swig. It was bitter and sweet at the same time. She coughed and spluttered, stunned. Alphonse patted her on the back as she coughed. She stared more warily at the cup in her hands.

"What is this stuff?"

"It'll bring your strength back up, is what it is. Drink it ahll."

"But what is it?" She demanded a little more, glaring mildly at the woman. Tia Dalma smiled at her and brushed fingers against her cheek. It sent a jolt of static up and down her spine at the contact.

"It'll help you. Trust me."

"Trust you?" She repeated, almost angrily. "You brought a dead guy back to life and you're not telling us anything on how you did it. Frankly, I speak for all of us when I say that I don't very much trust strange voodoo ladies who bring back dead guys and give away strange drinks."

She was surprised and perhaps even embarrassed at her outburst. Alphonse paused, hand on her back, staring at her. But, at the moment, she didn't seem to have much care for it. She glared up at the obeah woman, whose smile had drifted away, almost seemingly by the winds themselves.

"Take care of de words you say, Ana. I suggest you learn to try and reserve your tongue from now on, yes? I am not ahlways kind to dos'e around me."

Bish gave a not-so-subtle glance at the things hanging from the ceiling in their little jars. She swallowed nervously, and a sudden thought along the lines of keeping her organs and everything else intact raced across her mind. A warm hand enclosed over Bish's. The woman dropped her gaze to find Tia Dalma staring at her. The obeah woman once more had that kind and teasing smile on her face as she crouched before Bishquet. "You ahr going to need as much help as you can get. Don't be pushing it 'way from you."

Then the woman rose, graceful and slow, her dress rippling. "Eat your food and drink de rest of dat. We be leaving in a few days. You need strength."

Without looking back, the obeah woman turned with another example of her strange grace and sauntered off.

Bishquet noticed Barbossa watching her with a tint of an amused smile to his lips, but she wasn't too sure. She shoveled a mouthful of the exotic-tasting meat into her mouth, blocking it out of her mind on what it was or where it came from. If she knew what it was, she might just get sick all over again.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**You know, I really do like making characters interact with other characters they've either never had the real time to talk or interact with up until this point. It's awesome to get some more time between them all. It also brings out a little more of each of them and shows development between characters as well. Or, at least, I hope that's the impression I'm making. Haha…**


	56. Foolish

**Foolish**

**Reviewers: **

**KageMiyasawa**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**D3athrav3n92**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Bloody hell, I'm back and no one notices. xD That kinda sucks! Oh well, who cares? I'm going away again! Yeah, I didn't get my extension, so I leave Monday. I thought I'd post another chapter before I left! So, here it is! Enjoy!**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise.  
**- William Blake**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The internal sickness from the loss of Jack Sparrow lingered for several more days. However, the men seemed to have pulled themselves out of the grieving rut. The hope of bringing the man back to life seemed to have raised their hopes and vanquish the distress from their minds. Barbossa also seemed to be an instigator with keeping it at bay as he pounded around the shack and it's tight spots, assessing each man—and woman—before he cleared a small group to come with him to flag down a merchant ship for help, and then commandeer it.

"Every man worth his salt is to be there." He called on the third morning over another sullen breakfasting group. Eyes were upon him, and his chattering monkey. Then he glanced at Edward. "Except for you, boy. I have no use fer you t' be drownin' if things don't go our way." He chuckled to himself when the young man's face contorted in fuming anger at this. His brother, however, calmed him enough to allow the comment to pass. "The women are also to stay, but that be a given." Barbossa gave a pause at Elizabeth and then he motioned to her.

"Except her. A fine looking young lass in trouble will certainly be sendin' the need to help a damsel in distress to any honest sailor out there. Can't be having a…scruffier-looking woman around; they'll get suspicious."

At this, he eyed Bishquet's frazzled, untamed hair. Then his gaze slid to Lupin's braided and bauble-laden short tufts of hair, almost as unkempt as her friend's. The only thing that kept at bay was the old scarf on her forehead. Elizabeth looked at the smirking Barbossa indignantly, but she wisely remained quiet. Barbossa looked over Bishquet, Tia Dalma, and Lupin quickly once more and nodded once to their direction.

"We'll send for the rest of you lovely ladies when our business be finished." To the men, he said, "Finish yer grub, an' go to the longboat. I have a feelin' we'll be waitin' for a while."

Then he disappeared with his large hat, yellowed sash, and all. The monkey screeched in his wake as they left.

The men downed their breakfast and with a short cast of farewells to the young women, and then Gibbs shouted at the men to get themselves to the longboat. Alphonse lingered than most of the men with an extended goodbye with Bish. It took a shout from Barbossa outside to knock him back on course with the situation. With a last kiss to her, he left and then they were all gone, the quiet buzzing murmurs of the men and Elizabeth disappearing surprisingly quickly.

Then the others were left alone in the swamp, surrounded by—in Bish's opinion—creepy animals, creepy trees, and rather creepy swamp-people. The candles, when they had lived their lives, were replaced and kept burning. She had a feeling, however, when they left, the candles would be taken down when they died like the rest.

When the plates were cleared and cleaned, Lupin disappeared. How she did it, Bish didn't know, but when she gave it a second thought, she wasn't too surprised. Lupin used to joke how "pocket-sized" and "travel-sized" she was. "_Just put me in a suitcase, and I'm ready to go!_" She used to say so cheerfully. Or, she'd even joke that she wasn't just a pirate, no, she'd joke that she was a "pirate-ninja extraordinaire". "_Why get one side when I can have the best of both worlds? Sneaky ninja, and thievin' pirate. It's all awesome sauce._"

Bish sighed as she glanced about the whole of the shack, before grunting. _She probably went to hide out with that damned snake again._ Bish shuddered. _Fucking reptiles…_

Before she had a chance to finish the rest of her strong coffee, Tia Dalma called to her.

"I need to speak wit' you, Ahna. Come," she motioned to the young woman. Curious, and perhaps reluctant be all alone with the obeah woman, Bish came at Tia Dalma's beckoning. She cast Edward a quick glance, although he didn't seem to be paying much attention to her. He was looking around, gazing at things, looking about as lost as Bish felt.

Then he disappeared behind a curtain and was gone.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She found wandering around the shack relaxing. Poking at the seemingly safe odd baubles, trinkets and objects often distracted her as well. But when she stopped herself and sat still long enough to stay that way, the overriding emotions came at her like a brutal tidal wave. A large part of her didn't know what to do when that happened. She just wanted to forget, or at the very least, be distracted just enough to not think upon it all. Everything seemed to happen too fast. She felt guilt claw madly at her insides, refusing to give her a respite. She still remembered Elizabeth's last words to her before they had awkwardly shuffled away from one another the morning after Jack's death. She'd asked her—practically begged Lupin—not to tell Will what she seen, what she had heard. Nothing. Despite the incredible redundancy of this—seeing as he had seen the kiss—she reluctantly gave Elizabeth her word.

"_I won't tell him a word. Not unless you want to do it yourself…I won't say anything to him._"

And she hadn't. She hadn't really spoken much to anyone since her short conversation with Elizabeth, really. She knew she wasn't helping the situation by shutting herself off from everyone else, but it was the only way she knew how to handle the situation. Bottle it up, seal it off and refuse to talk to anyone about it. It was how she handled high-stressed or depressing situations. She couldn't even bring herself to talk to Bishquet and a harsh twinge of pain struck at her every time when she thought of this. She hated it, not being able to talk to her friend. But it hurt too much and she hid behind her cowardice once again, just like she would hide behind it on other issues she found too difficult to divulge in with someone else.

Lupin stumbled, her train of thoughts broken. Her calf throbbed and she hissed in pain, clutching at the abused appendage, scowling and wincing at the same time. A small, steady throb made its presence known in her hand as well and she peeled it away as she leaned against a trunk, her protesting leg lifted up slightly. When the aches faded, she moved on.

A few moments later, however, she stopped, the curtain separating the front of the shack to the back lifted in her hand. She stared for a moment, before stepping forward and dropping the curtain. Golden eyes looked up at her sharply. She stared back. A frown was fixated on Ed's face as he assessed her carefully before moving his gaze away. She quietly moved to his side and leaned against old barrels, filling the space beside him.

"It's strange, you know?" He finally said quietly. Lupin looked to him.

"What is?"

"Preparing to sail with a dead man."

She compressed her lips together in a tight line, saying nothing for a long time. She finally replied, "I…I guess so. Never done it before. You?"

She tried and failed at her attempt of a joke and even she had to wince at how badly she made it sound. He didn't answer her failed joke except with a small glance her way. She dropped her eyes, finding more interest in her boots. He shifted beside her and she reluctantly lifted her gaze.

"Er…sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"Don't worry about it." He waved it off quietly. Another silent spell fell between them. Above, the wooden ceiling creaked and the jars on the other side of the curtain rattled, gently clinking against one another. Lupin watched as a small puff of dust trickle down.

"Wonder what's going on up there…"

"Mmm."

She looked back at him and frowned. "Um…"

"What?" He turned sharply towards her.

She pointed sheepishly. "Your, uh, your hair. It's…it's really long. Holy crap." She stared at the gnarled tresses, surprised at how long it really has gotten. He shrugged at her, and the thick mane in its loose ponytail flopped against his shoulder. "…It's almost to your butt."

He snorted and straightened up in his seat, pulling the hair over and giving it a glance, twisting it this way and that. "Guess you're right."

"Maybe you should cut it a bit. Just a little, so that's not so…unmanageable later on, ya know?" She suggested. She dropped her hand when he looked back at her and she turned away. "Sorry."

"Don't be. It's the most you've said in the past few days," he replied, dropping the ponytail before adding, "And I'm not cutting it. No way."

"Well…then maybe you should tighten up that ponytail so that nobody gets killed from flailing hair."

For a few seconds, he didn't react or reply. Then he laughed, noticing the very tight-lipped smile she was presenting him. "Maybe I should."

"I, uh…I could help. If you can't get it, ya know?" She offered meekly. He smiled at her for the first time in a few days. He nodded.

"Sure."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I used to braid it, ya know. My hair, I mean."

Lupin eyed the cloth in her hand, not glancing at him. "I know."

"You do?"

She paused. "Um…yeah, I think you've told me once before."

He was silent for a few seconds before answering, "I don't remember."

"You did," she reassured him falsely. She felt that twinge of guilt build up in her, only this time towards her lie towards Edward. She swallowed before turning to his backside, his hair unbound and splayed over his shoulders and down his back. She sat behind him on a higher seat and hesitated before pulling his hair back carefully. She saw him flinch and she hesitated before taking her time and proceeding even slower than before.

"I've never really done this before, so, uh, bare with me, okay?"

He laughed a little and then went quiet as she worked; carefully pulling out little gnarls and snarls here and there. She was surprised that despite its unruly look, it was maintained fairly well enough. It looked like a recent job, though. _Maybe he found a brush somewhere and tried taming it earlier._ The mental image of Ed trying to tame his hair brought a smile to her lips and she had to bite them several seconds afterwards to keep her laughter contained.

She pulled the last strand together and held it with one hand, picking up the cloth with the other. She started raveling it together, her mind wandering. What was going to happen now? She didn't prevent Norrington from getting the heart—she should have stayed, stopped him, done something. She closed her eyes, stopping for a moment.

"You okay?"

The bulk of hair shifted slightly in her hand and she glanced at the visible eye watching her, and the thinned lips , the expression concerned. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "Yeah. Just fine."

Lupin went back to work and finished off tying off the cloth strip and cleared her throat, letting it drop against Ed's back.

"Done." She announced. He picked it up over his shoulder, giving it a glance.

"Thanks."

She nodded before she leaned forward, pressing her head against his shoulder and he stiffened in surprise.

"…Lupin?"

She closed her eyes. "He's really gone, isn't he? Jack's gone."

"…Yes."

She closed her eyes again, this time tighter, as if she could make it go away if she did. "I could have helped him. I could've and I didn't. And…" She sniffed, realizing her mistake on Isla Cruces. The muddied bench, a bigger beacon than the small clumps of dirt Jack had left. "Norrington—he took it…he took the heart. It's my fault—he took it."

Edward shifted until he finally stood above her, studying her face.

"What're you talking about?"

Lupin shuddered, and she looked away. "I saw him. Jack, he…put the heart in his jar of dirt and he… Norrington took it from the jar. I should've known, but Al and Lizzie needed help. I tried—tried to hide the dirt, but he found—and I…he wouldn't let me help him on the _Pearl_. I left him. I left Jack by himself."

Realization dawned in his face as he began piecing her muddled words together.

"Norrington took the heart…"

She nodded. "And the…documents Jack took from Lizzie."

"Documents?"

She hesitated. She remembered seeing Jack, Elizabeth and Gibbs gathered together the night after the new crew had been salvaged. She remembered the distasteful face Jack had made as the three looked over a leather bound document. She had kept her eye on Norrington and noticed his head had risen ever so slightly at the name of "Beckett" and the documents Jack took. She hadn't been with the three, but she had seen the conversation taking its place, placing herself near the gunwale just in time to overhear it.

"Letters of Marque." She finally responded. "A pardon…from the King of England. It…it was what Will was working to get when h-he came to us, and then Elizabeth…took them, from Beckett. Jack took them from Elizabeth."

"And Norrington took it from Jack." Ed finished, looking troubled.

Lupin nodded. "And when Jack…realized he had no leverage…and we were leaving. H-he…he wouldn't…" She paused, remembering her promise to Elizabeth. She had promised to never say anything to Will…and she figured, out of good common sense, it included everyone else. It ate at her. "He wouldn't listen to me. I tried to…" She stopped and closed her eyes, wiping furiously at her wet eyes, and choked out, "Dammit. I couldn't…help him, I just _left_ him there and I—"

Steady hands held her still, holding down on her shoulders. Edward pursed his lips at her, looking at her meaningfully, his brows knit slightly.

"It wasn't your fault, all right?"

"It _was_, it _was_ my fault—"

His grip marginally tightened and she stopped at his goading. The grip relaxed almost as soon as she had shut up, a few tears dropping down her face, her breathing shallow. He studied her for a long time, saying nothing. Then his gaze softened.

"It wasn't your fault. He chose to stay behind. He…Jack, he…he saved us by doing that. And I'm betting he told you to leave him, didn't he?"

Lupin nodded, not trusting herself to speak without bursting into tears again. She swallowed past the lump in her throat instead.

"You did nothing wrong. He _chose_ to stay."

_But he didn't…_ That flash of anger spread through Lupin like wildfire within seconds, and then she drowned it immediately before she could let it show on her features. _Don't let it spill, I promised Lizzie. I _promised_ her._

"And we're…going back for him. I don't exactly…know how. But we're getting him back. In fact…" Edward paused and he looked…lost and uncertain. The expression threw Lupin off. She rarely saw such an expression on his face, it almost looked as if he'd changed places with someone else. "I don't know exactly how this all works. I've told you about alchemy…a little bit of it, not much, but I remember telling you about the basics. I follow those rules. The way the world should work."

Again, he gave a pause to his words, almost as if searching for the next right ones. His hands slid from her shoulders and down, but they didn't leave. He watched her before continuing, "The rules I used to follow…they don't seem to apply to this world any more. Giant sea monsters, and weird ladies bringing dead people to life...it wouldn't work where I came from, but…I guess we're jumping into a whole new world without leaving the old one behind."

His hands loosened further and Lupin relaxed a little as he stood. She swallowed again and nodded. She couldn't trust herself to speak quite yet.

"But, even if we're learning some new rules, there's just one thing we have to focus on: we're getting Jack back. I don't really…care much for the guy, but…he did save us. He saved us, and I guess it's only right to get him back. I guess."

They were going to get him. She wished that she had done more—done her job of protecting Jack, like he'd asked her to—but this was the way this story was supposed to go, wasn't it? If she'd interfered more than she had, though…she had to wonder, what would happen? She couldn't grasp at that idea at all; she'd seen the movies too many times to even think of some alternate storyline, because of anomalies such as herself, Bishquet, Edward and Alphonse. It eluded her completely.

He smiled a little at her, almost as if trying to prod her into doing the same. "So, quit crying, all right? All we have to do is get this done and maybe we can figure out another way to get ourselves back home."

"Okay," she finally said quietly, nodding. _We'll get him back. He's coming back._

Hands lifted up to her face and began to brush away the tears from her cheeks and she stiffened at the contact. As a rule, Lupin rarely had people touch her face. She seldom ever allowed it, and most often than naught she personally didn't like it. So, when the touch of flesh and metal both began to wipe off her tears, she sat up ramrod, bewildered at the unwarned contact, watching the calm and blank face looking back at her.

The hands stopped moving, and she hoped that they would retreat, and Ed would realize she didn't…didn't what? Like it? Well, perhaps a little, she didn't appreciate it without warning. But…she didn't exactly tell him off like she would someone else, like she'd done in the past… Or hit him. Either way would have sent the message.

One hand finally retreated, but the other remained; cool metal against her skin, cupping her face. She began to open her mouth to speak, do something other than gape, but didn't get far enough. Edward leaned forward and took advantage of her silence, lips pressed against hers. Lupin felt a tightness in her chest grip harder at her and she remained immobile for the first few moments. The tautness passed and her mind went blank, his mouth persisting after hers. She kissed back, spaces between bodies closed, a hand running through her short tufts, another on his face. Another hand snaked around her waist and pulled her even closer. This time, the proximity really closed; she could feel hard muscle and metal beneath his clothing.

Something, however, clicked in her head and she pulled away, panting as she gathered her breath and her thoughts. He gave a pause as well, before leaning back in to kiss her all over again. She turned her head away, shaking her head. He stopped, staring at her quizzically.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked quietly, hands sliding down her back before resting on her waist. She shook her head again, trying to hide the shivers from where his hands had traveled.

"No, no, this…"

"No?" He said, almost anxiously. She swallowed as his hands reluctantly pulled from her waist. Grudgingly, she brought her hands up and gently clasped them over Ed's, biting her lip. Finally, the words came.

"No." She stated firmly, taking a breath before adding, "This isn't…the time. I…it's, I-I'm…I'm not…ready."

He frowned at her, that sense of confusion still fogging the air around him. "What is that supposed to mean?" He inquired her carefully.

Lupin hesitated, studying his face, his eyes, the hard frown on his lips. She gave him a small smile, trying to coax the situation into a softer manner. "It's just, we…we just lost Jack. I don't think that…" She trailed off, suddenly finding it hard to continue. She saw the suspicion and the fleeting spark of anger in his eyes, but that passed and was replaced by a more curious nature.

"Did you love Jack?" He asked her with a hollow resonance in his voice. It sent a pang of guilt in her.

"No," she shook her head. She tried another smile. "But I—,"

His hands slid away from hers quickly, almost as if she'd burned him. "Then what about a few months back with Jack? Was _that_ the 'right moment'?" He asked her sharply, eyes narrowed. At this, she fell silent, the trying smile on her face disappearing. She stared at him, unsure of how to answer and she dropped her hands back down in her lap. Helpless, she tried finding the right words again.

"No, I don't love him," she answered him carefully. She saw the tension in his shoulders suddenly seem to drop and the hard suspicion in his eyes melting away. "But, it was just…a one-time thing, and I-I don't see him, in that way. It wasn't out of love or anything like that. I promise."

"Then what about _this?_" He hissed quietly, hands brought up quickly to cup her face. Her breath caught and she froze for a few seconds. His thumbs rubbed up and down gently, slowly as he asked softly, "What about right now?"

She saw the smolder in his eyes, the demand for answers and she found herself drawing a blank. She only stared back at his fierce expression and she bit her lip, swallowing past the hard lump that was starting to come back again. Once again, she gently brought her hands up and cupped them over Ed's and coaxed them down. At first, he resisted, but then complied. Lupin tried to smile and managed another small one.

"Right now…isn't the right time. For me." She licked her lips and stopped again, seeing the mixture of emotions on his face: anxiety, disappointment, and confusion. Others were too discernable from one another to glean from. But, she concluded on one thing: He looked like such a lost puppy, she felt like melting at that look on his face alone. It caught her off guard to see such an expression on his face; it softened his normally hard and sharp features up greatly.

Lupin hesitated before giving his hands firm squeezes—metal and real—and she leaned forward, giving him a brief peck on the cheek. This time, he was the one who hardened at the contact. She hesitated at this, feeling it hurt her just as much.

"I'm sorry," she breathed in his ear quietly. Lupin closed her eyes, and held back the tears from her voice. "But…right now, I'm not ready."

He said nothing and she slipped her hands from his and pulled away, that tiny smile still on her face somehow. She wanted it to reassure, to comfort, but she didn't know if it was portrayed that well to him. He only watched her; those lost and confused looks still on his face, even after she had slipped past the curtain and out of sight.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**You know what? There you go; your fucking fluff for Lupin and Edward. The fluff you've waited for nearly sixty-bloody chapters for. Took for-fucking-ever, but there it is. It was a pain in the ass, this chapter. Bishie-beta had to help me greatly with this, since I'm not naturally that well adept to these kinds of fluff scenes. And you got your bloody kiss. Short, sweet, and it was there. But, Lupin's an idiot. So, yeah, she ran away, being a scaredy-cat…scaredy-wolf.**

…**Whatever.**

**So, here's your bloody kiss; it's the most y'all are getting for a long, long time. Between Ed and Loopy, that is; Al and Bish can give you guys enough fluff to tide you over in the meantime. xD Will and Lizzie are preoccupied with their own conflicts as well, they're gonna take a while, too...obviously. (Lol)**


	57. Forward

**Forward**

**Reviewers: **

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**BIRDZILLA**

**Keiyou**

**HeeHeeHee01**

**Dontmezwitme**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Haganenochibi**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

…**It was eventually going to happen that I use an actual Walt Disney quote. You all know this to be true! And you know who you are. (Points dramatically)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.  
**- Walt Disney**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She tugged at the dress's hem, a silly little smile to her face. She twirled it, fascinated and in glee. It's been so long since she's worn a dress, or even a something with the hem of a dress. It was easier for her body to breath, instead of being stuffy and confined in a pair of jeans that had been worn and torn for so long, she'd forgotten how it felt to let her legs have freedom. Plus…it made her boobs look great.

Bish stretched, and languished at the feeling of no fuzzy, curled and gnarled, untamed hair at her shoulders and backside. No longer did she have the dead hair, hanging off of her scalp and weighing her skull down. It was now cut short, several inches above her shoulders, cropped of all the dead weight and now, she probably looked much better. She even got a resemblance of makeup going on; the same substance that Jack used. Black kohl gently applied around the rims of her eyes, not slathered on thickly like Jack did, or even what Lupin would do. She didn't have blush or mascara, or tint for her face, but she did feel much more groomed.

At least she felt much better than she had in months. Sure, she was able to somewhat maintain her hygiene on the ship, but a proper bath wasn't available to her at all. So, scrub-downs were as best she could go. She felt as clean as she could on the ship; here, she felt more pampered than she had felt since they'd left the Mediterranean and crossed the Atlantic to the Caribbean, and proceeded through all the madness that had just ensued.

_And we still have more, don't we? _She thought somberly, absently picking at her shortened curled tresses. Her fingers made contact with the glass beads in her hair and she paused, a light smile tipping her lips. _Wait until Loopy sees me. She'll be so surprised._

She fingered the beads, the materials sharply cut, yet elegant in their whole simplicity.

Bishquet honestly had Tia Dalma to thank for this helpful improvement. Her haircut, the newly threaded beads in her hair, the dress with its pretty little corset, and the pleasant bath. She hadn't even really cared much for when Tia Dalma had sat her down, hair still wet from the bath, and began cutting it in places before tightly braiding sections and slipping the beads through. When Bish had inquired, and protested a little, Tia Dalma hushed her and explained that the beads could be of some value, some help in the future, if Bish ever got in a bind with literally no money or anything on her person that was of bargaining value.

"_Dese can be helpful an' wort' more d'an you t'ink, if you ever need somet'ing to trade wit'. Why do you t'ink Jack Sparrow do dis?_" The woman had laughed in that teasing, sultry manner of hers while she continued to braid Bish's hair.

_I just hope I don't get dreads next. Ew._

She paused in her pacing around on the first floor of Tia Dalma's hut, and she let out a soft sigh. They'd soon be leaving. Within the next few hours, days, or weeks, she didn't know. She had the gut feeling within the next day or so, they'd be whisked off to Singapore, on some other ship—someone else's she might add—that was to be captained by Barbossa. And the only ones left from the _Pearl_'s crew were of course, herself and her friend, as well as the Elric brothers, and the original crew.

Speaking of crewmembers…she thought of how Alphonse was dealing with being around Barbossa. There was only so much she could remember from the _Pirates _movies; she couldn't contain all of it. Hell, she'd forgotten most of what was in the third movie, and she had been luckier with the second, thanks to Lupin. All she remembered was Will and Elizabeth and their rather…unorthodox marriage. That was all.

But now, she was groping for something, anything, to help her, perhaps even keep herself safe, but nothing came. She came to a halt, a blank slate. It frustrated her, and she knew that later, she'd have to consult with Lupin about it. She sure as fucking hell felt lucky that she hadn't became Kraken food. So many close calls for herself, she had lost count. So many men had died that day, and it felt like years ago instead of four days ago.

Thus, she found herself having stopped in the middle of her poking about, looking at the ground in a puzzled manner. Bish lifted her mind out of her reverie, and looked around. She hadn't seen Ed or Lupin around and she frowned. She couldn't have lost two people in the small place, as crowded as it was. Well…maybe Lupin. That girl could squeeze into some of the strangest spaces, but Edward? The frown remained as she began poking around, and making a very wide berth at the large snake, hissing and muttering under her breath as she passed. She quickly scampered off when the thing's head turned and the lidless eyes stared at her, the tongue flickering in her direction.

"Fuck you, snake. Fuck you." She growled unpleasantly towards the reptile. Bish moved towards the doorway that led to the little veranda and miniature dock. As soon as she moved into the open doorway, she found Lupin there, standing at the very end of the veranda, staring out towards the dimming candles. Most were out, but a few continued to flicker on, the last that had been left.

Bish moved towards the smaller young woman, a smile that had briefly tipped her lips at the sight of her friend disappearing. It curved into a frown as she stood beside the wolf. Lupin looked at her friend, her eyes red and face blotchy. Bish went from concerned friend to mother hen in point two seconds at this and drew her friend into a hug. The younger girl hugged back tightly, burying her face into her bare shoulder.

Bish stroked her friend's mussed hair, waiting, not mentioning anything. She didn't want to have the girl burst into another fit after it seemed like she had just calmed down. When Lupin pulled back, she seemed to finally take in her friend's appearance and she reached up, fingering the braided in objects. A watery smile tipped her lips.

"You got some like me?" She asked jokingly, and Bish gave her a little smile.

"Didn't really think they were useful at first. Guess Tia Dalma knew what she was doing when she put them in, though. Said these are worth money in a tight bind."

"Yeah, I know. You didn't know that?"

Bish stared at her friend, boggled.

"You knew?" She asked incredulously. Lupin sniffed and nodded, her head bobbing this way and that.

"Well, yeah. You didn't think I had these put in just because it was fun, did you?" Lupin replied.

"…Well…"

Another smile curved Lupin's lips. "It's okay. At first, it was fun for me. I just thought about it being monetary after a while. You're not alone." She took in the other things like the dress—worn out and handed down, but it was still pretty nonetheless. She commented the corset and Bish explained that it was slightly difficult to breath, but not unbearable for her. Lupin pouted at her, muttering quietly that she'd like to have one on, just for fun.

The wolf continued to pick and pry at every little new thing and only after a while Bish realized it was to preoccupy the wolf's mind from whatever had troubled her from earlier. Finally, she brought up the subject from Lupin's earlier discontent, concernedly. Lupin fell silent and turned back to lean on the veranda. Bish waited alongside her friend, leaning in a similar fashion.

"Was it about Jack?" She asked after a while, looking at her friend. She saw the flicker of movement from Lupin's eyes towards her, before they moved away. Bish sighed. "Hun…we're going to be getting him back. I know…I know that we lost him, but we're getting him back. Try to cheer up, okay? Sure, we're sailing with a dead man, which is really creepy, but a dead man who knows what he's doing. Maybe that's why Tia Dalma brought him back."

"…She brought him back because he's a Pirate Lord as well, Bish." Lupin sighed, almost impatiently, even.

"Oh…well, there's that, too…" She answered vaguely. There was a pause.

"Fuzzy memory?"

"Yeah…" Bish admitted sheepishly with a tiny, albeit silly grin.

Lupin sighed again. "It's…it's not about…Jack, per say. It's…other stuff."

Bish looked at her friend curiously and opened her mouth to pursue another inquiry, but stopped at a voice behind her.

"Lupahn."

The two women turned to find Tia Dalma in the doorway, staring at the wolf. Bish looked to her friend as well, and saw the interested look on her friend's face. She turned back to Tia Dalma and saw the obeah woman motioning towards the wolf.

"Come."

Lupin, at first, didn't move. She stayed where she was, staring at Tia Dalma dumbly, almost like a disobedient dog that didn't know what "come" meant. Then, slowly, she moved forward towards the woman, casting a glance back at her friend. Bish stared, then waved at her as she and Tia Dalma disappeared back inside.

Bish pivoted and leaned back on the rail, feeling alone again. The lazy river that had brought her and the others here was as still as it was five minutes ago, with no sign of the longboat, the crew, or Alphonse.

**OoOoOoOoOoO **

She winced and bit her lip at another pang of soreness while Tia Dalma continued to redo one of her braids. Lupin held as still as possible, listening blankly to the woman tsk'ing her while she quietly spoke under her breath.

"How long you been wit' dese?"

"A—ow! A while. Don't remember when I got—," she hissed at an especially gnarly tug, her breath caught in her chest tightly. "I don't remember when they were done. A few months ago?"

"Hmm. Seems like a few years." Tia Dalma tugged again, jerking the wolf slightly. She held back the whimper building in her throat and continued to keep herself as tense and as still as possible. When the woman finished, she began to string back in the very beads Jack had done for her several months ago. She also added in new ones; glass and wooden, and others she suspected to be of more fortune than they first appeared to be as.

When the last of the braids, as well as two newer, yet drastically shorter ones, were finished, Tia Dalma turned the wolf around and handed her a small shallow bowl with a thin brush inside. The material inside Lupin recognized instantly. Tia Dalma motioned towards the small vanity mirror propped on a beaten and shabby bureau, the gloss on it having worn off long ago. Several large candles were on either side, the melted wax dripping off on either side of the bureau.

"When you finish, I have some new clothes for you."

Lupin turned towards the woman, the shallow bowl cupped gingerly in her hands. "Why are you doing this for us?"

"You already have de answers to dat."

"You know what I mean," Lupin pressed gruffly. The older woman smiled kindly and shifted closer with the sweeping of her dress's hem. Tia Dalma circled Lupin and the wolf was uneasily reminded of a shark circling a wounded prey.

"What you know is what you know. And therefore, I know," Tia Dalma stopped circling and clasped her hands on Lupin's shoulders, carefully watching the young woman. "What I know, you don't know. I will answer."

She pulled her hands away and motioned towards the vanity mirror once more. Lupin hesitated before she pivoted and moved towards it.

"I help because d'en you will help. You know what needs to be done."

"I'm not a Pirate Lord," Lupin pointed out.

"Yes, dat is true," she nodded in agreement. "But, every captain needs a crew."

"I am _not _part of Barbossa's—," Lupin stopped mid-snarl at the serious, and perhaps even scary, look upon Tia Dalma's face. The giddy, airiness had gone and in its place was the scowl and clenched jaw she rarely wore. Lupin shut up immediately and swallowed dryly.

"You are part of 'is crew, for now. Wed'er you like it or not. If you want to bring back witty Jack and 'im precious _Pearl_…you _will _follow Bahbossa." The harsh expression melted and was once more replaced with a softer, kinder face. Tia Dalma drew the smaller woman into an embrace. "Too long, you 'ave been away from home. Cut off from what you love…an' who you love."

Lupin closed her eyes, feeling that welling of tears claw its way back to the surface. She gripped at one of Tia Dalma's arms, burying her face against the woman's shoulder like she had done with Bish not too long ago. She didn't even mind it if this woman had begun to stroke her head. Lupin held back her tears, biting her lip again.

"Tia Dalma…can you promise me something?"

The woman shifted slightly and chuckled lowly. "What is it, child?"

"Please promise…promise that you'll help my friends and I to get back home. All of us." She swallowed nervously, hesitating on saying the next bit hovering at the tip of her tongue. She finally threw what caution she had and proceeded, "A promise as the sea goddess, Calypso."

Tia Dalma stiffened greatly at this and stopped stroking Lupin. Lupin felt as though she had done something wrong and she began internally fretting, quickly believing that she had insulted Tia Dalma. She opened her mouth to begin apologizing, but Tia Dalma squeezed her once before she chuckled, low and heartily. She pulled her out of the embrace at arm's length, smiling that sultry grin of hers. "You have much to learn, Lupahn. I cannot say if I can help you and your friends…but when I am free, I can try. Dat much I can promise you."

Lupin studied the woman, trying to see anything past that light and airy smile of Tia Dalma's, and she found herself drawing nothing but a blank on the woman. Tia Dalma laughed freely once more before removing her hands. "So young, you are, to be askin' of a goddess in such a manner. But, it cannot be helped, I suppose. It's good to see some formality from d'ose who are more…familiar wit' de old sea legends. Ahr, the legends of the gods, in general."

"But they're not legends!" Lupin blurted. Tia Dalma once more smiled at the wolf, almost if she were like a patient parent trying to teach a belligerent, yet curious child about something difficult. And, perhaps she was. Lupin dropped her gaze, ashamed at her own brazen attitude. Tia Dalma may be the sea goddess Calypso trapped in a human form, but that didn't mean Lupin didn't know how to be respectful. All her life, she was taught to be respectful towards her elders and authority figures. Of course, she had had her moments of stubbornness and obstinate attitude towards both, and in the past, she felt she could have handled situations less hotheadedly, but now she knew better. She sometimes had her temper, or even her impatience spout off from time to time, but she tried to keep herself in control as often as she could.

Exceptions include being around her friends or in safe company that didn't really care what came out of her mouth. This was not one of those times, and she once again felt that strong urge to apologize for her unnecessary and perhaps even inconsiderate comment.

Tia Dalma's patient smile, however, had not waned and she cupped the wolf's face. "Like I 'ave said, you 'ave much to learn from dis world, Lupahn." She removed her hands and motioned towards bureau and the vanity mirror sitting on it. "Now, hurry. Put it on now. They will be back soon to fetch us."

"How do you know these things?" Lupin asked as she turned towards the vanity mirror, setting the bowl down.

"How, indeed?" Tia Dalma laughed. "I'm sure you 'ave de answers to dat as well."

Lupin turned to face her, but found that the woman had vanished with only the tinkle of her laughter left behind.

**OoOoOoOoOoO **

Tia Dalma gathered the three after Lupin had finished changing into the newer, more durable clothing. Bish had not changed from the dress she had been given, although Lupin packed away an extra set for her friend and carried a pair of boots for Bish as well. How the obeah woman had accomplished in finding the correct size was beyond Lupin's understanding, but Bish had briefly put them on before announcing that they had fit fine before kicking them off. Tia Dalma packed nothing and Edward remained silent to all women, avoiding eye contact as he slumped against the wall, staring past the veranda.

The sound of harsh reprimanding was heard first, as the four stood out on the veranda. Then the soft paddling of water being disturbed from its stillness came next. It seemed to take a long time, but the prow of the longboat soon glided casually along the lazy little river, moving steadily towards them. Alphonse and Marty occupied the longboat. Marty was at the front, directing Alphonse as the younger Elric guided the boat with the oars.

Lupin was the first to push away from the veranda and went to the little dock to help tie off the longboat. Marty addressed her quickly, "We can't afford to stay long. Hurry up or Barbossa will leave us behind."

The way he growled it out to her, Lupin figured quickly enough that he didn't want that to happen. She nodded and stepped aside to allow the others to pass. Alphonse was up in an instant to help Bish in, but he stopped to stare at her new haircut and dress. Lupin had to hide the smile that bubbled to the surface at the lopsided, sheepish smile he gave her friend. When Bish was settled, Alphonse turned to Tia Dalma, who took his hand and smiled that wry and sultry smile of hers, laughing as he paused at her as well before she was inside as well, set neatly and courteously beside Bishquet.

Edward walked past her and she gave him a glance, although he didn't return the look. His brother had to help him in the boat as well and he took a little longer to settle than the two women. When Al turned his gaze towards her, she glanced back at the little hut. All the candles had been snuffed out, and it no longer looked lively and warm. She felt cold just looking at it.

Hefting her bag, and picking up the pile of clothes she had set down when she helped tie off the longboat, Lupin handed them over to Al, and Bish took them, uttering a thank you to him. "Here, this too, please."

"Sure," he smiled as he reached for it. He blinked in surprise when the full weight was lifted to him and he stared, boggled before handing it to Bish.

Lupin clambered in as Marty undid the slipknot Lupin had done. Edward had taken over the oars, muttering about Al needing to take a break. And, just as soon as the longboat had come, it went, with more passengers this time.

As they left, several of the inhabitants of the cypress swamp watched them all leave, as silent and as still as the grave.

**OoOoOoOoOoO **

The ship that they were brought to, moored right off shore of the island that the _Black Pearl_'s crew had retreated to, had the name of _Observer_. It was quiet above deck as Alphonse held the longboat in place while Marty ascended first. Pintel and Ragetti appeared over the gunwale not long after and threw down lines for the pulley to bring the longboat up. Lupin began helping Tia Dalma and Bish up, holding their hands for support until they were both safely on deck. She turned to look at the Elric brothers before she scooped up her bag and the clothes. Al, however, clasped a hand on those and smiled at her warmly.

"You've got enough weight to carry with that heavy bag. You sure you don't want help?"

Lupin paused at his comment before shrugging and offering the clothes. "I'll carry the bag, thanks."

He hesitated, eyeing the heavy thing and her bandaged hand before taking the clothes in his free hand. "Those are for Bish, so be careful. They're her extra set when she wants pants back."

The wolf then turned and began hauling herself up on deck.

The sight she was met—as were Bish and Tia Dalma—wasn't something she had expected yet at the same time, she did.

Barbossa and the others had a crew of men at bay with pistols and guns, all of them weaponless and scowling. Some looked ready to up and fight, being at the point of weapons or not. On the other side of the quarterdeck, there was a line of bodies, still and quiet. Lupin turned away to look at her friend and saw Bish staring at the bodies, the color drained from her face.

Barbossa looked to the three of them and made a grand, if slightly mocking, gesture towards them. "Gents, I'd appreciate if you'd also be willin' to keep your hands to yourselves. Not only are we joined by the lovely Miss Swann," Barbossa motioned towards Elizabeth, who was sitting on the wheel on the mizzenmast. "But three other young ladies as well. If ye lay a hand on any o' them an' I will know of it…well, ye best won't be likin' me when I think of yer punishment."

"Perhaps we don't like you now or at all, sir," one sailor growled out.

Barbossa's gun lazily found its mark on the man. Lupin froze at this and she jerked her eyes towards Barbossa.

"Ye best be startin' to learnin', lad. I'll be frank in sayin', I'm nicer now than if ye were to cross my path the wrong way."

The hammer tripped back with a sickening click. Elizabeth shifted in her seat, more attentive and eyes slightly wider. Will gave Barbossa a glance, an almost heated and disgusted one.

"Barbossa," he said in a warning tone. Barbossa glanced at Will, but the smile remained in place. He laughed, the pistol still pointed at the sailor, hammer still cocked back. Lupin was the one to make a move and she heard Bish call to her. She didn't glance back, even if she felt eyes on her and she stooped before the man who spoke in blatant scorn towards Barbossa.

She saw the hatred in his eyes towards her as she had seen it directed toward Barbossa and the others here. Her lips twitched as one hand rested on the butt of the pistol she'd had since after the misadventure in Tortuga. She didn't even remember where she got it; but she somehow got it.

"If you do as we say," she started softly, "then you'll live. You fight…and we _will _kill you. Those dead bodies should be evidence enough. This is your last and final warning, savvy?"

The hate in their eyes didn't leave as she stood up and moved away back towards her friend. But she also saw the uneasiness and the dying fire of mutiny as well. She knew her warning was making a crack in their will, however small it was. When she came to Bish's side, her friend stared for a long time before smacking Lupin hard upside the head.

"You're an idiot and if you go in front of guns like that again, I'll make sure they shoot you!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The _Observer _was roughly the same size as the _Black Pearl_, although there were obvious differences. Each ship had its unique design, even if they were manufactured in similar or practically identical manners. The sails were not black, for one and for another; the hull was not as dark, either. Below decks, there was not the nauseating and strange smell that had accompanied the crew for several long months. Bish vaguely remembered hearing Lupin mention it was probably another galleon, the same type of ship as the _Black Pearl_, but she didn't hear the other options. Gallery, goalie or something like that. It started with a "G", she remembered vaguely.

Bish swept past through the forecastle, slightly in awe at how squeaky clean the ship was. It was certainly not that creaky, smelly _Black Pearl_, although she still felt that tender spot in her heart for the crabby old ship. Lupin had ushered her below decks, not even flinching at the glare she had been given, not reacting towards the hard smack Bish had given her.

"It's best we stay out of the way until we set sail and Barbossa's finished with those men up there."

Lupin had then retreated to look over the galley and its supplies, while Bish had gone to wandering around the ship and it's other places. The forecastle, with its hammocks and large cannons, was well kept and had good maintenance. She even spotted a few possible cubby areas that could serve well for her, Lupin, and perhaps even Elizabeth. She had no clue if Tia Dalma would be with them, but perhaps they could squeeze all four of them into one. Although taking the captain's cabin would be nice. The bed would be soft and warm, and they could all take turns every night. That would be nice, even if it couldn't come true.

She'll miss using a bed…again.

The footfall of someone's boots alerted her that she wasn't alone. Bish turned and she smiled a little at Alphonse. It faded when she saw the troubled look on his face. She knew something was wrong, but she asked him anyways, just to double-check. He didn't answer at first and quietly pulled her along towards a beam. She complied for his sake and they slid down, their backs against the beam. He brought a hand to his face and inhaled slowly, as if trying to form the words.

"He killed them," he finally said quietly. "Barbossa. He shot the men on the longboat when they came for us, and then we had to bring out ours. Then he shot the captain when we got aboard and a few others as well. Pintel and Ragetti helped, but…" He trailed off. Bish frowned, unsure of how to reply.

_Sorry, but it's the only way? At least they won't have to be in Barbossa's company like us? _She hesitated on saying anything, and felt that, "I'm sorry," was too weak of a sentimental comment for him. Instead, she pulled him into a tight embrace and he readily accepted the silent motions, burying his face against the nape of her neck. Quietly, she stroked his head, burying her fingers into his hair.

For a long time, they stayed like that, even after it seemed as though the ship was finally underway, men were pounding up and down the wooden deck above, and orders were shouted across everywhere, repeated for good measure. Lupin hadn't come to bother them and neither had Edward or anyone else. It was…nice. It was a peaceful moment, one they hadn't had in a long time, not since they had rushed back the Caribbean after Jack had his little key sketch obtained. She felt calmer being alone with Alphonse, and less inclined to rush about so frantically with the rest of the world. She just needed it to slow down, and he did as well, apparently.

He didn't want this, she knew. Neither did she, but even if they had the constant peril of their lives while they sailed with these pirates…Lupin wouldn't leave. She trusted them and only God knows why, but Bish also found the strange sentiment that she did too. Keep close to Tia Dalma, then they were all close that much closer to home. That was what drove her. It was enough to keep her going.

After a while had passed, Bish realized that she was beginning to nod off. Snapping her eyes open, she lifted a hand from her lap and smacked at her cheeks, coaxing herself awake. Bish shifted slightly and peered down to see that Alphonse had dozed off. A wistful smile crept up on her lips and she leaned down, giving him a chaste kiss on the forehead. When she pulled back, she was startled to see one of his eyes peeped open, slightly glazed from sleeping, but still as warm and awake as his smile.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "I thought you were asleep."

"Just for a little," he yawned, covering his mouth. He sat up and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she finally stated softly. He shifted a little, but she didn't move. "I'm sorry that…you had to see what Barbossa and the others did, but…you have to remember, these guys are pirates. They're not as laid back as Jack, and stuff. They can be really nasty. I've heard some stuff about them from Lupin and well, they're not very pretty stories."

He was silent for a while before he replied, "I know that. But it doesn't mean that I like it very much."

"To be truthful," she said, "neither do I. But it's the way things are. That's the truth." She sat up and looked at him somberly. He gave her a tiny smile.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

His smile broadened a little and he laughed slightly, shaking his head before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. She responded in an instant with a little smile curving her lips and a warm, fuzzy feeling collecting happily in her chest.

However, a clearing throat interrupted the blissful moment and feeling, and they pulled away grudgingly at the interruption. Edward stood over them, his face cool, calm and collected as he glanced at the both of them before landing his gaze towards his brother.

"Barbossa wants us top deck."

Alphonse sighed, almost dramatically even, as he gave Bish a rather impish smile.

"Interrupted once again." He chuckled, smiling softly to her. She gave Ed a rather sullen look, but he did not seem to take notice. If he did, he didn't show that he cared much.

She watched Al retreat with his older brother, still feeling sulky at the interruption. When a few minutes passed, she stood and made for the galley. Perhaps bugging Lupin would make her feel better.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Reviews are yummy, but critique is _delicious_****. ;3**

**Happy Holidays and Happy New Years! I'm back! And, most likely I'll be able to take a computer with me to my military school, so I'll be able to continue writing instead of these damned intermittent breaks between months at a time. Be patient!**

**Also, go see _Avatar_****. That's all I gotta say. It was a beautiful, epic movie and I'm sure a lot of you would love it! You can definitely guess who's gonna be gettin' it when it comes out on DVD. Haha! x3 Now all I gotta do is go and see _The Princess and the Frog_****! Mmph! Disney child, awaaay! (lol)**


	58. Follow the Leader

**Follow the Leader**

**Reviewers: **

**HeeHeeHee01**

**The Weyrwoman**

**Haganeochibi**

**Keiyou**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Dontmezwitme**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**D3athrav3n92**

**KageMiyasawa**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Holy freakin' hell, I did it. Bite me. Sexual tension is in the air again between Ed and Loopy. Then again, it hasn't really gone anywhere to begin with. Dun dun dun!**

**And, this might be the last update, again, for a while. Dunno if I'll be able to get internet down where I'm going, but I shall try! I will, at the very least, have a computer to fiddle with and be able to write again! Thank God for small favors, electricity and my Nana. 83 Thanks for Bishie-kins, who helped edit this chapter and clean it up a bit. This chapter was a bitch to write. xD**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.  
**- Ralph Waldo Emerson**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Tortuga was their first destination. They were well within less than a day's sail away from the island. Barbossa was pleased. Jack the Monkey only seemed to emanate that glee even more, excited as he was. He sailed through the air like an acrobat, swinging from line to line, screeching away. On the deck, Lupin scuzzed the deck with a mop, scrubbing hard. She felt eyes on her, but it didn't matter to her. She didn't even care. _Look all you want, I'm not bothered, ya rat bastards. _

Something landed on her shoulder and she felt little hands pawing at her baubles and tugging at stands of hair. She stopped scuzzing and lifted a hand to pat the monkey that had chosen her as a pedastal to rest upon. "Hey, Jack, how're you today?"

Little chatters of noise sounded off in her ear. She smiled a little before going back to work, a new companion with her. "So, nice weather, huh? No clouds in the sky, the sun's...hot. As usual. Good surf to go by. Am I right?"

She got huffing little bursts of air in her ear, tickling her. She took that as an affirmative. "Of course I am."

"Land, ho!"

She stopped working and craned her neck, looking all around, past the blue waters and out towards the horizon. She squinted, not seeing anything until she focused past the bowspit and saw the thin strip of black. The corner of her lips tipped a little, satisfaction swelling up.

The ship was a frenzy of actions past that point. Barbossa's voice boomed over everyone elses, shouting orders, insulting the lot of them, barking at them all. Jack joined the sailors aloft as Lupin began to climb the shrouds, leaving her. All canvas was let loose and the sheets unfurled, catching more wind. The ship lurched forward over the waves, cutting easily through the clear waters.

"Miss Hawkins!"

She paused at her name being called as she was descending down the shrouds after helping with the sails. Barbossa watched her from the helm, Jack once more perched on his shoulder, staring at her as intently as his master. Lupin narrowed her eyes slightly, waiting. Then she slowly came back down and made her way to the quarterdeck wordlessly. Barbossa gave her his thin smile as she approached, that amused glint in his eyes. He waited.

Finally, she spoke, annoyance not hidden from her tone. "Yes?"

"Since you've taken over the galley and the duties that entail, I trust that ye'll be makin' a list of supplies we'll be needin'. A starvin' belly and dry throats is something we wish to avoid when we get underway to Singapore. That would only entail a mutiny as well, and I really don't want to be killin' anymore able bodies, if ye understand my meaning."

Lupin's eyes narrowed momentarily and she felt anger roil off of her. She decided to try and keep her temper in check...but not her sarcasm.

"Well, you did kill the cook, so I guess I had no choice. Well, I did, but at the same time...I don't like anyone else's cookin' all that much. Undercooked meat can kill you and I don't intend on dying that way, thanks very much."

He chuckled.

"Then ye'd best be off with that list now, wouldn't ye, Miss Hawkins?"

She raised a brow, her lips pursed as she turned away. She paused for a moment before looking back at him, hand on the rail, ready to step. "Oh, and uh, by the way, Barbossa?" He tilted his head slightly, eyes on her. She took that as an affirmative that she had his attention. "Don't call me 'Miss'. I work for a living."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Tortuga was not as big a riot during the daylight hours as it was during the night. People peddled around, selling their goods and wares, opting for honest, and even dishonest, trade. Sailors in ragged, repaired, and new clothing mingled together. Salted old seadogs and new little wide-eyed greenhorns meandered about, stopping at stalls and shops, wandered the docks. The sailors of the _Observer _stared in awe, disgust, and other mixtures of visible emotion. Edward stared around, alert and aware that he was within a pirate port, knowing fully that he could be pickpocketed any moment. He tightened his grip on the little leather bag with money inside, leftovers from his last pay from Jack. There was very little, but he might have enough for perhaps a new shirt or pair of trousers. At least, he hoped so. Beside him, his brother was keeping just as sharp an eye, although he did notice the somewhat awed look on Alphonse's face as he surveyed the town. He avoided looking at Lupin and Bish. Gibbs strode beside Barbossa, conversing in a hushed tone towards the man. He couldn't hear what was said, no matter how much he strained. He didn't want to risk getting closer, either. But, from the way Gibbs' face looked, the older man was not very pleased.

They trekked behind the two men, their pace fast and strides long and with purpose. The monkey stayed perched on Barbossa's shoulder, screeching occasionally at passersby, scaring them when he did so. Many people, when they saw Barbossa, stopped dead in their tracks. Edward noticed how they paled and some even quickly shuffled away, as far away as possible from Barbossa. In the back of his mind, he realized that this was a man that most likely had a notorious reputation when he was alive. Perhaps they heard he had been killed? Possibly. He'd have to wrestle the story from Gibbs later; that man seemed to know everything there was about anything on the sea or with strange ocean legends...

They quickly wove through the town before they stopped at a two story, wooden structure, the design quite different than that of the others. Architecture wasn't exactly on Edward's mind at the moment, but he did notice how much more significant the building stuck out from the rest. They entered the building, escaping the heat into its cooler interior. The lighting inside was low and dim, the air perfumed. Ed crinkled his nose at the overpowering scent. He heard Alphonse sniff slightly at the smells. They made to move forward, but were stopped by an older woman's voice, low and quiet, but with an unmistakable authority.

"Take _off _your boots. Show some _respect _when you enter here."

A woman garbed in luxurious garments stepped around a corner, her face painted white except for the strip of red on her lips. Her black hair was pulled tightly back in a tight bun. Her almond shaped eyes narrowed at them, and she pulled her hands from inside her sleeves, pointing at them. "Off, now."

Barbossa laughed and made a low bow. "Of course, Mistress Ching. We'll only be a few moments of yer time, if ye don't mind."

She grunted at him before piveting fluidly and waving a hand behind her. "Come back some other time, Barbossa. When I am not conducting business."

"And what business what that might be, if ye don't mind my asking?"

The woman, Mistress Ching, paused. "Bad," she finally replied. "Ever since that company, that...East India Trading Company, has come into the Caribbean. Potential clients, stolen away. Good clients for my girls. Good sailors who pay good money here at my brothel."

Ed stopped, pausing with one foot lifted up to take off his boot. He noticed that the two women didn't bat an eye and were already stripped of their boots. Alphonse had stopped as well, looking up accusingly at Barbossa. The man, however, did not turn to look with apologetic eyes or even an apology in general. Instead, he continued conducting his business, boots off and he strode towards Mistress Ching with purpose. Gibbs hesitated before he too took off his boots and hurriedly followed after Barbossa. The man turned to Gibbs and said a few quick words, handing him a bulging bag before moving towards Mistress Ching, an arm on her shoulder, guiding her away into another room.

Gibbs moved back to them. "Cap'n says to go and buy what supplies we'll need. Make sure it's enough for several months' voyage. Go on, now."

He handed the bag to Lupin, having directed the instructions to her. She nodded several times in understanding, taking the heavy leather bag into her own hands. The contents clinked inside and her eyes widened slightly. Gibbs faltered for a moment, hand on the bag before he removed it. His eyes flickered around and the others followed his gaze. Several faces appeared through sliding doors, staring at them intently. The women watching them smiled and laughed, some tiredly. The the doors clinked shut at the shout of a man. Gibbs glanced back at Lupin and Bish. "Be careful not to be going anywhere alone. You, there, Elrics. Keep an eye on them. There's no knowing who'll snatch them up and do God knows what to 'em. S'dangerous 'round here if you're not careful."

He gave a meaningful glance Bish's way. He noticed that her feminine features were more noticeable than Lupin's. The smaller woman looked like a very young male when she wasn't studied carefully enough. She might have an easier time than Bish at disguising her gender, he concluded. Alphonse shifted a little closer to Bishquet and he nodded. "Of course. We won't let them go anywhere alone."

"Good lad. Meet back at the _Pe_--...the _Observer_, before the sun sets."

"We'll be there." Ed answered. He shoved his other boot back on, tucking away the trouser leg. Gibbs frowned slightly at him, but said nothing. He turned and left the four alone. The four ignored the giggling of the women as they left the brothel, and their new captain to his business inside.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He found her in the galley, accounting the new supplies they had just purchased. Her back was to him, and she swayed to an unheard tune. He knew she was listening to her little iPod device, the music moving her. He stepped behind her, latching onto her wrist gently. She stopped almost immediately and a part of him regretted making her stop. He always found her strange little hip swaying dance funny, yet strangely alluring at the same time. She stiffened at his contact and turned to face him, a look of surprise plastered on her face, her eyes round for a few seconds. She relaxed a little, but he felt she was somehow still stiff, unwilling to release complete tension.

She took out the earphone nubs and turned off the iPod, clipping it back on her belt, the earphones wrapped around the device. "What's up? We forget something or...we need to go back into town?"

He pursed his lips into a thin frown, hesitant, before he shook his head. "No, it's not about the town."

She studied his face before he saw the understanding color her face. She lowered it slightly, avoiding his gaze. "Oh..." She met his gaze again, her face suddenly a blank slate. "What's to talk about? What happened...happened. There's nothing to talk about."

He stared, momentarily dumbfounded by her words. Then he felt a roil of anger rear up, but he supressed it and it quietened down. It dissipated quickly and he calmed, but he still gave her a steely look. "It isn't just something you can just ignore or say it was "nothing"."

She pursed her lips at him, and he saw the flash of annoyance streak across her eyes. Surprisingly, she bit her tongue, and kept herself on a shorter leash with her temper. "Well," she began in a deliberately slow pace, her tone reinforced, "it was. It was...a one time thing, all right?"

She made to turn away, and tried to pull her wrist from him. He almost wanted to let go, but he didn't. He held on and gave her a quick, firm tug and she turned back

to him. A glint of annoyance colored her gaze. He kept her pinned with the steely gaze and she finally dropped her face.

"You told me that this wasn't the time. What exactly did you mean by that? Did you want me to simply sit and wait and see when it's most convenient?"

He was reprimanded with a glare, but he kept his cool.

"You do realize where we are, right?" She started. "We're in the middle of a century that don't belong to us, one where we don't belong in. And you're the one who's wanting to start something, at the wrong place and at the wrong time." She hesitated before continuing. "And you don't even know if its the right thing to do. I mean..."

Again she hesitated and he felt she was suddenly losing her drive to continue.

"And what?" He felt an unbridled anger come to the surface suddenly. This only helped fuel hers and she snapped her face back up, glaring at him in return.

"Do you really think that anything can happen here? You--," She clenched her jaw. "You...live in a different time period. The fucking early nineteen hundreds. And I'm nearly a hundred years ahead of you. Think about it." She finally was able to pry her hand away and he let his drop to his side. The flashes of anger within her face began to wash away, and he was surpised to see concern and regret replacing it. "We're going _home_. Think about that for a minute."

He didn't feel her hand when she reached for his right one, nor could he feel her thumb rubbing along the metal. "Do you really think that you can start something you know for a fact that you can't finish?"

That struck a cord with him. He stared at her for a long moment, speechless. It was then that he snatched his hand away without thinking. She dropped her hand back by her side. She kept him pinned with her stormy blue-gray eyes. He narrowed his own at her. "So, when you said that you 'weren't ready', you were just saying that to subdue me?" He hissed.

She wanted to shrink back, but she held her ground. Lupin closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them, holding his gaze. "Maybe," she admitted quietly. "But it's also true. You can't just expect to start something the way you did." A small, nervous smile tugged at her lips and she softened her gaze. "And you're not thinking with your head, not completely, at least."

He furrowed his brow at her and for those few seconds, she was distracted by how adorable he looked. She swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"And you can't expect to just let someone else start something and then walk away like you did," he whispered, stepping closer, his face inches from hers. An arm slid around her waist. Alarms began to ring inside Lupin's head, urging her to react. Instead, she froze, afraid, unable to move. He was _teasing _her! That wasn't fair! He'd switched up from being mad with her to playing games with her! What was going through his damned mind...?!

"Don't." She snapped quietly, abruptly. She kept her eyes trained on his face, her muscles tense and stiff.

"Why?" He whispered back. He shifted slightly, but did nothing else. It was enough to raise Lupin's awareness and once again, she had to question herself what was going through his head.

She pierced him with a sharp, meaningful stare. "Because you know I'm right."

He hesitated, and once more his face became a blank slate. Lupin wanted to knock that expression off, to shake him and force him to tell her what he was thinking. She hated being left out in the loop like she was now, and so openly. He might as well mock her while he was at it. It frustrated her and she was surprised at her own impatience. He finally pulled back, and the arm slid away from her waist. Regret filled her, but she remained adamant.

"I know you're right," he finally said, knitting his brows. "But that doesn't mean I want you to be."

For a split moment, she stared, confused. Then it dawned on her and she felt heat rush up to her face in embarrassment. She swallowed again, trying to wet her parched throat. He may have pulled back, but he hadn't moved away. "Doesn't matter if you want me to be or not." She studied his face, trying once more to twist her lips into a smile, even a small one. "It can't work. If...circumstances were different, maybe. But here and now?" She shook her head. "I don't want to risk...making things awkward if things don't even go right. Believe me...I'm saving us a lot of grief and heartbreak."

Somehow she managed to wriggle away. He let her, but he didn't let her go silently. "So that's it, then? You're just going to run off like that?"

She hesitated before turning to look back at him. Strangely, he noticed, the smile she gave him was small and genuine; it was more like her than she'd been in days.

"I ain't runnin'. I'm avoiding a problem that's up ahead in the road. I suggest you do the same...instead of runnin' and jumpin' towards it without even looking if there's a cliff right in front of it or not. And I think there's a goddamn Grand Canyon, right up there. You'll see it, if you start watching out."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

A cliff in the road. That was what she had called it. It made him bristle at the way she had so casually said it as well. And how she she had tried to divert herself, cut off from the notion of their conversation. It boiled his blood, sure enough, and at the same time, it left him reeling. It made him think back on what had happened at Tia Dalma's, that strange, yet euphoric moment of passion. He questioned himself on his own actions and at first, he found no answers. He was blank without a solution until it hit him sideways all of a sudden.

Up until recently, he had never wanted to kiss her, to hold her close like he had done. The strange relationship that they had started out with had grown, expanded from the nitpicky squabbles they used to have, to a more mundane understanding. He'd grown used to her odd behavior, and sometimes, when the days blurred and blended together, he looked forward to conversing with her, to listening to her iPod with her, and even hearing her stories. There were times when he found himself in a sour mood and somehow, she'd yank him right out of it. She had grown on him and the affection for her company had grown and so had his feelings towards her. Sure, she had annoyed him in the beginning, but they'd found a way past that; a mutual respect. And that respect had grown for him, it grew into something more. He had just been ignoring it, pushing it away, quelling it whenever an inkling of a thought or passing whimsy would cross his mind. He would always make excuses against his own thoughts, telling himself that she was simply a friend, a travelling companion. But lately, he couldn't push it down like he had before.

A shudder ran down his spine. He wanted to kiss her again, despite the stinging words she had given him earlier. He realized that there had been plenty of times he could have kissed her before, stolen it from her. Something had held him back, though. It never seemed the right time, the right place. He wasn't sure what made the strange obeah woman's home the appropriate place, but the time...somehow, he felt the time had been a prime moment.

Edward closed his eyes and felt jealousy stabbed at him. How fair was it that she refused him, and yet her friend could have no qualms with a relationship at all? He also felt that jealousy towards his brother, wondering how was it he could easily treat this situation properly, while Edward struggled to figure out which way was left and right, stumbling about like an uneasy toddler. He always knew his brother had been easier going with the opposite sex; something that he had never gotten, and often times, never cared much for. But now, it seemed the circumstances had changed. He wished he could speak easier with Lupin, but it seemed the fluidity he once had was gone. He sorely wished he had gained the same abilities when interacting with women that Alphonse had gleaned. Now it seemed, however, that he has gone all the way back to square one with her.

He had wanted to say more to Lupin, but the words, they wouldn't come, couldn't form. He had let her go with her words searing into his mind. He saw the truth in them, but he didn't want to accept them. He wanted her, dammit, and she wasn't making it fair for him. It made him sick, the torrent of swelling emotions smashing about inside of him, but he could discern the biggest part of the mess: he wanted her, and as soon as this whole mess was taken care of, he would change her mind and he'd make her realize that they could be together. She would see soon enough.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are **_**delicious**_**. ;3**


	59. No Turning Back

**No Turning Back**

**Reviewers: **

**Dragon of Twilight**

**Wandering Hitokiri**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Shinzochi**

**KageMiyasawa**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all ****ｩ ****to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Yeah, another long ass time without an update. Leave me be; I've literally been on a binge with _Transformers_**** lately...**

**And I mean, literally. I've been watching the original show, the _Armada_ season, _and_ the _Animated_ series. Plus, school here is a bitch. And boring. But I graduate this Friday, so huzzah, celebrate. **

**Heh, anyway, I'll try to get into the groove with this story more. Sorry for the long wait, y'all. Enjoy!**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.  
**- Satchel Paige**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was well past the safe hours of the day when the _Observer_ was finished lashing down its new supplies, the load prepared for a long journey. Lupin had finished with the galley, taking note that it had been stocked to the brim, including several animals. Barbossa and Mr. Gibbs had yet to return. The crew was restless, and the tension between the honest sailors and the pirates had electrified the air. Elizabeth was just as restless and she kept her distance from Will. Tia Dalma had amused herself with talking to Mr. Cotton's parrot, speaking softly to the blue and gold macaw. The parrot, in return squawked and warbled quietly to the obeah woman. All in all, this presented a rather unorthodox, tense, and "walking on eggshells" situation for them all. It was difficult to extract a conversation with anyone.

It seemed like such a lonely existence for individuals. They became internal, focused on their own dilemmas and their own situations; the world was shut out around them. Life continued around them, even if they didn't focus on it at first. Slowly, however, several of the _Observer_'s original crew began to unwind, uncurl from their internal thinking process.

The night life of Tortuga was not helping either, although the level of noise seemed to have lost its certain excitement to it, that certain edge to life. It seemed duller, and the previous crew of the _Black Pearl _took to Mr. Gibbs's words, right to the heart. The world was duller without Jack Sparrow in its recesses, filling it with his flamboyant self, without his extravagant presence. The crew of the _Observer_, however, did not seem to hold the same perspectives as the pirates, and therefore, did not see the loss of color, excitement, and perhaps even a mite of danger to the town of Tortuga and its piratical dealings.

Then the call came. It came from the gangplank, and it turned out to be a young man, clean shaven and too young to be able to take a blade to his face, dressed in rather cleanly looking clothes. Lupin was the first to react, moving towards the gunwale's opening where the gangplank rested. The young man stopped abruptly, almost hesitant. Carefully, he asked her, "Permission to come aboard, sir?"

It was dark, granted, so she did not correct him. Instead, she answered, "State your business first, bub."

He looked taken aback and he squinted before bowing his head, almost ashamed. "I apologize, miss, I didn't realize--,"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, apologies, that's very nice. I don't care. And don't call me miss, dumbass, I work for a living. What do you want?"

He looked back up at her, taken aback by her words before he nodded fervently to her. "Right. A Mr. Barbossa and a Mr. Gibbs sent me to relay a message to the crew of the _Observer_, and to fetch some of your crew. Miss Hawkins, Master Turner, and the elder Elric brother."

Lupin pursed her lips, cocking her head slightly to the side at the sound of curious footsteps coming closer behind her. She kept her gaze fixated on the young man.

"Why them?" She asked sharply. He hesitated again.

"I…don't know. I wasn't aware that I was supposed to be asking the men who were paying me a shiny piece of eight to be their messenger." He said, a fringe of annoyance toning his voice. Lupin narrowed her eyes.

"Look here, kid, you pull that smartass mouth with yours with me again, I'll be glad to take that tongue of yours outta yer mouth." She sneered at him, and for effect, placed a hand on the knife in her sash. The young man seemed to have lost his brave fervor and backed up a little. Whether it was at the threat or the harsh, chilly glare Lupin was giving him, she was glad she had his attention again. He gulped a heavy breath down and nodded to her in understanding.

"O-of course, miss. I was just sent to relay that message. I don't know why. I swear!" He looked nervous now. _Good_, she thought. She waved him off.

"That'll do, I'll fetch for them. Go away now."

He scampered off with a quick, jerky nod and disappeared into the crowds on the streets after running away from the docks. Lupin watched him go before turning around, coming face to face with Will himself.

"So we're to go and meet Barbossa somewhere, I assume?" He asked, although it was more of a clarifying statement than an actual question. Lupin nodded curtly.

"I guess so. I'll go get--," she stopped short, curbing herself. Will gave her a curious, if prodding look. Lupin swallowed back her comment. "You go get Ed. I'll, uh…I'm gonna go tell Bishie where I'm going. I'll be ready soon, promise."

She left before he could prod her not only with his eyes, but with verbal confrontation as well. Oh, dear Lord, she was hoping that there wouldn't be any problems while they went into town.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"So, you're going? Just like that?"

Lupin sighed. "Yes, just like that. I don't have much of a choice. I mean, I _do _have one, but it isn't much of one. Does that make sense?"

Bish stared at her friend and gave her a quiet nod. "Yes, it does." She frowned. "I'll go into town, too, then. To keep an eye on you."

The wolf spun around so quickly that the baubles in her hair smacked her in the face. She winced, but paid them little heed. "What, alone? You can't go alone!" She blurted a little louder than she intended. Bish huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Of course not alone! I'm not an idiot, you know!" She sighed, dipping back into a more patient tone of voice. "I'll take Alphonse, all right? He is the better brother when it comes to fighting…even if he is more of a pacifist than that hotheaded brother of his." Bish smiled and chuckled a little, giving Lupin a sly wink. Lupin did not return the humor and after a moment, Bish's face fell, concerned. "What? It was a joke, hun."

"I know. I just…don't really want to talk about Ed right now." She answered reluctantly. Bish frowned, thinking back to the day she had found Lupin on Tia Dalma's little veranda, crying and looking like a piteous sight. Slowly, however, the hamster wheels began to turn and she began to piece two and two together.

"Oh, holy shit…"

Lupin avoided Bish's gaze.

"He didn't…he _did_, didn't he? Oh, holy _shit_."

This time, Lupin snuck a very quick glance at her friend. She expelled a heavy sigh and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, uh…he fucking…he started it." She quickly stated, hunching her shoulders together like a makeshift shield. Bish stared, boggled.

"Wait. You mean to say, he got in your pants? Whore!"

Lupin flushed. "No!" She snapped. "He-he…kissed me, that's it! Jesus, woman! What did you think I was implying?"

"Uh, that you and him did the nasty. That's what."

"Your mind is in the gutter."

"Actually, I think it slipped into the sewer a while ago. I try to fish it out, but you know…" Bish trailed off purposely with a wicked smile before it melted away, quick as a wink. "So, that's why you were freaking out earlier? From a little kiss? What's the big deal?"

Lupin glanced at Bish, about to retort that it _was _a big deal, before she caught herself. Bish, of course, would not view as a big deal. She was used to affection, used to those pieces of the relationship that she was in. Lupin swallowed, and felt somewhat jealous of her friend, wishing she could say "fuck it" to rules and everything else. But a part of her reigned back that bit and she instead, squashed back that feeling, shaking it away.

In the absence of an answer, however, Bish slowly picked up on a possible answer and she allowed a frown to cross her lips. "Oh…I see."

Lupin wished she could shrink back, curl up into a ball. She felt like such a yellow-bellied coward, but she had done her part, she kept telling herself. She almost flinched when a warm hand descended on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. _Stop behaving like a child,_ she chastised herself. _You're acting so stupid! _

"Oh, Loopy, come here. Come on," Bish said quietly, pulling the girl into a hug. Lupin buried her face against her friend's shoulder, much like she did the first time down at Tia Dalma's home. She felt safe and comforted with her friend, her only family in this place. She closed her eyes, wanting to cry, but she was tired of crying, tired of being tired and helpless all at once. It was even nicer still when her hair was being stroked. Bish chuckled.

"Crazy thing, you are. At least things are out in the open, huh?" Lupin sighed in response. Bish kept going. "I just wish that Alphonse would, you know, say something instead of beating around the bush, too, though. Like, 'she's my girl', some crap like that."

Lupin heard the implied bitterness in her friend's tone and she frowned. "He'll say something, don't worry. Drop some hints, he'll get it. And you changed the subject from one dimension into another. I have to go soon, hun."

"I know," Bish sighed. "I just kinda wished you'd told me about this earlier. I thought you had been upset earlier about Jack."

At this, the wolf pulled away, wiping away the corners of her eyes the remnants of any tears that tried to fall. "Sorry. I'm just…not that open of a person I thought I was, I guess."

The Hispanic woman studied the wolf's face for a long time before she sighed. "We'll talk about this later, okay? Go on, you've got places to go. Me and Alphonse will be right behind to keep an eye on you. You know, for backup."

Lupin gave her friend a grateful smile before she nodded, stood and left.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Mistress Ching fingered the round object in her hand, the metal far from smooth, the engraved insignia beneath her fingertips. She frowned, her blind eyes staring ahead. Her frown only seemed to deepen and her scowl growing harsher. "So, you say the call is to be made, do you? And what makes you even think to say that?"

She dropped the coin on the table in front of her. Barbossa swiped it up and twiddled it in his hands. Gibbs leaned forward, trying to find a more comfortable position. Oh, how his old knees hurt from sitting in this uncomfortable position. He grit his teeth and shifted again. Barbossa cast him a rather lazy look, but returned his gaze back to Mistress Ching and her painted face.

"There once came a time, Mistress Ching, where pirates were barely challenged, except by the navy of other nations. Some, though, were the result of pirates, as I'm sure you're well aware of."

"Hired buccaneers," she said haughtily, giving Barbossa a slow, acknowledging nod. "Of course I know this." Her blind eyes narrowed. "What is it that runs through that head of yours, Captain Barbossa?"

Barbossa simply smiled that wane, sly smile of his. "The East India Trading Company has been in a bad habit of stealin' yer good customers and what essentially bring in good money, am I right?" Mistress Ching said nothing. Barbossa took this as a sign to continue. "I believe it's time we convened the Brethren Court to address such odds that are coming up against us. But in order for that to happen, we must have all the captains…and all the pieces."

At this, the elderly woman sat up straighter, holding herself in a proudly manner.

"So, you believe it is that time, then, do you? The Brethren Court has not been called upon in a long time, Barbossa. Are you positive that is a wise decision? I'm sure you're aware of some of our…fellow captains' statuses as of late."

"Actually, no, I haven't been. Ye see, I've been a bit under, and only just regained my…health." He chuckled, smiling thinly. Gibbs groaned through clenched teeth before shifting his legs again. Surely, neither would mind if he moved into a different position--

Jack the Monkey swiveled his furry little head in Gibbs's direction and bared its nasty little teeth at him. He froze mid-shift and stared at the monkey. He stared back at Gibbs before the old seadog grunted and settled back into the uncomfortable position. Honestly, how could this woman sit like this all day…

"Hmph. Very well, then. We shall begin, then. I shall honor the call, and hopefully our fellow captains are still alive or the very least, have found successors for their pieces."

"Good," Barbossa's smile broadened. "And a word to the wise, Mistress Ching: I would suggest leaving immediately. I have a great feeling that the Company will only be willing to search every pirate port in the Caribbean soon, and Tortuga will be the first to be hit."

"Of course it will be," she sniffed pointedly at him, once more holding herself in that proudly, regal manner of hers. "But Shipwreck Cove on the other hand…"

At this, she revealed a rare, stern smile to peak the very corners of her lips. Barbossa gave her a nod, even if she had no powers to see it.

"Of course," he agreed. "Until then, Mistress Ching…" He stood, and Gibbs staggered to his own feet. The monkey on Barbossa's shoulder snuffled the air, staring all around with his beady little eyes before refocusing on Mistress Ching. The elder woman stood as well, grace imbedded in her movements as much as the art of killing was.

"Where is it you plan on going, exactly, Barbossa?" She demanded, her unwavering frown fixated in place.

There was a tension in the air before Barbossa let her know how amused he was. He leaned towards her, the chuckle in his voice as he answered.

"Singapore."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They did not return to the building that they were last in. Instead, they followed Lupin, Will, and Edward to the bar where, ironically, was where Jack had recruited his men, and where Norrington had started his bar fight. Of course, Bishquet and Alphonse did not know this. They walked through the throng of busying people, hand in hand, but Bish was not really feeling herself in the moment. She kept glancing at Al, who was staring in silent awe at his surroundings. A frown remained on her face, marring her pretty lips as she kept staring.

A part of her wanted to yell at him, but it rose and fell constantly like the ebb and flow of the currents. An uncomfortable squirming made her stomach twist and writhe in her abdomen. She wished Al would move forward past the niceties he has given her. Hand-holding, little pecks or kisses. They were affectionate, to be sure, but she found it dull after so long.

But what was she expecting more from him? She knew, in the end, it would all be for naught. Yes, she's thought of it all. When Calypso would send them all home, back to their respective time periods, this would end. The kisses, the snuggling, the hand-holding, all of it. She knew it would be hard, but she didn't want to think about. Bish only wanted to live in the moment, and really, after the things that had gone wrong in her life, she wanted this chapter to be the one thing that's gone right. Instead, it had gone stale.

_Do more, _she wanted to tell him. _Stop dancing around it, stop beating around the bush, stop being…timid!_

Not that he was always like that. He was more assertive at times that surprised her, but when he was with her…

There were times she had to wonder.

Bishquet let a listless sigh escape her lips and she didn't care if her shoulders drooped, almost as if in defeat. She could wish with all her might, and _want _to say something, but she kept her mouth shut. She wanted him to move forward, to meet her halfway. She wouldn't be the one who did all this work this time, not in this relationship.

Almost as if suddenly sensing her silent distress, Alphonse turned his gray eyes towards her, and smiled. Oh, goddammit, why did he have to be so charming? She wanted to melt at that smile and forget about being crude with her thoughts, but dammit, she stuck to her guns, because she knew she had to. Bish turned away and she knew she could feel that smile fade and flicker, almost like a light.

"Is there something wrong, Bish?" He asked her, raising his voice slightly above the din of the crowd around them. Another sigh, heavy and feeling as though weight kept pulling down on her. She cast her eyes to the faded dress and corset she wore, absently viewing her somewhat cleaner fingers.

"Nothing," she finally answered, although she didn't sound very convincing. Dammit. "Nothing at all."

And once again, she could feel his frown, rather than see it.

"I know you're lying. Please tell me what's the matter." He paused and put an arm around her shoulders, guiding her smoothly away from the stumbling path of a drunken man, almost as if he'd choreographed the movement beforehand. She barely gave the drunkard a glance. Al did not remove his arm and turned her to him, frowning.

"Please tell me." He pleaded with her once again, looking so damned sincere when she looked at him, she felt her insides turn to mush. Fuckin' A, why'd he have to be so…so goddamned cute and handsome and scruffy all at once? And he had one of the best temperaments of anyone she's been with previously. _Better than that last asshole_, she thought bitterly.

His frown only deepened, crinkling his brow, his lips tipping down further. She had a lot on her mind, plenty to say just on the tip of her tongue, and yet she found herself with cottonmouth. Bish glanced back up the street, seeing just in time, Lupin slipping out of the tavern she'd entered minutes before, glancing about, caught her gaze, and then skulked back inside, as if satisfied with simply seeing her.

"It's nothing, Alphonse. Just…a lot to handle right now." And it wasn't really a lie. There really was a lot to think about. Traveling to Singapore on a borrowed ship and crew to rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones's Locker. Getting out of the Caribbean. Avoiding the East India Trading Company. Sailing with a recently reincarnated and previously cursed pirate…

Yeah, that was a lot to handle.

He still frowned at her, as though dissatisfied with her answer, but he said no more. A part of her wanted him to confront her, to push her until she had a perfectly valid reason to yell at him what was on her mind. But, he backed off instead and allowed her room to let her thoughts stay inside, allow her to wallow in self-pity and in the turmoil that ran rampant through her head and her heart…

"Let's just…go back to the ship. I, uh…I don't really feel comfortable staying out here." Bishquet finally stated, giving the dirty streets a wary gaze. Alphonse seemed to instantly understand and he nodded, a hand on the small of her back, gently turning with her back towards the docks. "I'm sure Loopy will understand."

"I know she will. So will Brother, he won't mind." He added amicably.

At the mention of Edward, Bish swallowed a little. Jesus, what she heard from Lupin earlier…

Did Alphonse know about it? Bish glanced at him, trying to discern anything that would betray the younger Elric brother of the subject that just so happened to romp on through her head, but he didn't have that same emotional palette on his face that his older brother had. So caught up the tempest of her thoughts, she was jerked back into reality when Alphonse pulled his arm away from her…

Or rather, he was tugged away from her. She came to a full-blown stop and whirled, skirt swirling at her legs as she turned. She stared in shock, unsure of what to make of the situation before her. Two women had pulled Alphonse away from her, coddling to the young man, not even paying her any no mind. None whatsoever. She didn't know whether to stay in her state of shock and awe, or to get angry.

They looked, essentially, like the prostitutes that they were, only more…pirate-y. If that even qualified as a word. The makeup they donned was somewhat caked on and not cared for very well, bringing out the gaudiness of it all to obvious attention. Bish was sure that their clients, however, had beer (or rather, rum) goggles and wouldn't have noticed how horribly slathered their faces really were due to the poor aesthetics of it all.

Alphonse was pinned between the two voluptuous, busty women, their dresses rather revealing in the upper half. They smiled in coy, yet extremely wry manners and pressed against him. She saw him grow slightly red when they did so, showing visible agitation and discomfort at the women's unwonted behavior. He babbled at them and tried to pull away, catching Bish's wide-eyed gaze several times.

She finally found the initiative to simply stand the fuck by, even when he cast her pleading eyes for help. She raised a brow, lips puckered slightly. The women giggled at him, gently yet firmly pawing at him. "Oh, lookit _this _one, Margaret, ain't he a beauty? Too nice-lookin' a lad t' be a roundabout pirate!"

The other tittered, flipping her curled brown hair. "Oh, too right, Teresa, too right. Oh, stop fussing, we'll take good care of you, take you down right to that there tavern an' have you drink the comin' night away!"

"Please, ladies, I really don't--"

"Stop fussing!" Teresa, the brunette, smiled at him insistently. Alphonse pushed away at the prying, relentless hands on him.

Margaret, the blonde, tried tugging him along, completely unaware of Bishquet standing and watching…almost in amusement. A smile even almost tipped her lips. Almost. She actually wasn't too sure of what to make of the situation, really. It was amusing and at the same time…not.

"I said stop, please--"

"Just a pint! We don't bite, we promise!"

Alphonse finally stood firmer ground and pulled his arms away from the prying women.

"Enough!"

The women stopped, surprised, and froze in their places. Several passerby witnesses paused as well, but then they continued on their merry, drunken way, laughing giddily with drinks and their own pleasurable company. Alphonse carefully disentangled himself from the screechy women and their grasps, an annoyed look in his eyes as he did so.

Bish watched with a careful guard, although she knew it was going to come crumbling down any moment. She couldn't help but feel impressed...and proud at the same time, for some odd reason, as she watched him.

"But—," Margaret tried weakly, but she snapped her mouth shut at the slightly heated glare she was given. Teresa wisely remained silent.

"If you hadn't been so intent on butting her away, I'm sure you would have noticed I already have all the company I could ever ask for." He moved towards Bish, and she saw his face soften when he looked at her, a more fitting and comforting smile on his face than the reprimanding glare he had given the other women. When he reached her, he snaked an arm around her waist and she couldn't help but feel smug about it.

The other two only stared, boggled, and perhaps even a little heatedly, at Bishquet. She only allowed a sliver of a smile reach her lips as she peered at the women, the self-satisfactory feeling swelling in her. He gave her a meaningful squeeze and she looked away from the women and at Alphonse. He was still giving her that kind smile, and dammit, why'd he have to look so goddamned cute and handsome and—fucking hell. She was a sucker for that face.

"I already have the one woman I need and she certainly isn't like you two," he said with a sly backlash towards the two's...profession. _Ooh, ouch. That's gotta hurt, ladies._ She saw them grow red in the face, past the cake makeup, their lips trembling. For a brief moment, she felt sorry for them, but it passed. If this was the life that they chose to partake in, then by all means, they could continue. Just so long as they didn't malinger with someone who was already taken, which she was sure they'd done plenty of times in the past, the way they'd snatched at Alphonse like they had.

They certainly looked upset that they didn't get the prize, though, the way they were reacting so poorly to the situation right now. And all Alphonse was smile, but it was thin and icy; something Bish rarely, if ever, saw on the young man's face. He gave her another soft squeeze and she finally submitted. Ah, what the hell. He's already made her melt once, he was probably going to do it all over again, wasn't he?

He gave her another look and she saw something in his face that she hadn't noticed the first go round: protectiveness. She had to smile again.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't push her away so rudely like you had again, ladies. After all, she _is_ my girlfriend."

Okay, that did it. That totally did it. She felt her previous harangued statements retract and shrivel up into dusty little balls of fluff in the back of her mind.

"I think I'd like to go back to the ship now. What do you say, hun?" She finally said with a smile she couldn't help but release. Big and wide, and one that said, "_You lose, he's mine,_" to the other women.

"I think I'd like that too." He smiled. And goddammit, that was a smile that could melt a glacier.

She didn't mind so much if it did, either.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**It's Bish's fault. She wanted fluff, and something that spoke more volumes about the relationship between Al and Bishie-kins. I complied, but it's still her fault. And, I'm glad it is. I needed to give y'all **_**something**_** to look forward to! Plus, I need to keep some parts of my writing tools sharp! **

**Reviews are yummy, but critique is **_**delicious**_**. ;3**


	60. Last Spanish Lesson

**Chapter Sixty**

**Last Spanish Lesson**

**This is Bishie, writing a filler chapter for Lupin while she gets her ass into gear and keeps this mob from finding and attacking her, lol.**

**Anyway, it's just a filler chapter. I have no idea what goes on in that strange little head of my best friend. Let's get started!**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish was still glowing after the incident with the two prostitutes near the bar as they walked down to the docks where the _Observer_ was quietly awaiting its crew. Alphonse still had pink in his cheeks but looked rather pleased with himself as they approached the ship together, fingers intertwined. Bish couldn't help but think how handsome he was from behind. Usually, white boys didn't have such a pert ass, she thought curiously. Shaking her head from dirty thoughts, she realized he had said something to her.

"Huh," she asked eloquently.

"Are you hungry, Bish?"

"Not much, I'm just a bit tired."

"Why don't you go rest while I get something and bring it up? Maybe we can watch _House_?"

"Sure," Bish grinned. "Got a thing for Hugh Laurie, hmm?"

"Wh-"

"Go," Bish shooed him. "Get your food while I set up."

Alphonse seemed to get the gist of her teasing and looped his finger around one of her curls, with a light tug, he turned and walked to the lower decks. Bish shook her hair slightly and let it amass around her face like a nest of bees; it was the norm. With a skip in her step, she headed to the barracks and pulled out her laptop. The battery was almost full charge so they could get a good few episodes before the computer had to rest. She let it load while she changed into a crisp linen button down shirt and a pair of slacks that fit well enough. Bish washed up quickly and managed to do damage control to her hair enough that she looked decent. With a start, Bish realized that this was a sort of date; something they never had before.

She crossed her fingers and hoped that Lupin and Ed would be gone for a while longer so that perhaps Bish could possibly—

"Hello," Alphonse knocked on the side of the doorway.

"Al, come in, I'm decent," Bish teased.

"I brought you an orange," he murmured, placing it in her hand. "You should eat something."

"Mm," Bish held it with both and and smiled. "Thank you."

"Are you alright," Alphonse peered into her eyes.

"I have a bit of a question," Bish paused, struggling to open the damn orange. "Son of a bitch! Mother—"

"Here," Alphonse took the fruit and made a few cuts with a knife he had on him. "That would make things easier."

"Mind your tongue, sir," Bish shot him a look. "Or I'll mind it for you."'

"I see," Alphonse stepped closer to her until their bodies were nearly touching. Bish tipped her head up to stare at him and grinned. Despite her confidence, the butterflies in her stomach were exploding.

Yes, exploding. STFU.

"How?"

Bish stood on the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss on his cheek before she turned around and headed to the computer. With a few clicks on her computer, she had the television show up and running. She paused it at the beginning while Al ate at the edge of the bed. He wouldn't eat near the computer due to his rational fear of dropping his food on it. Bish didn't blame him; she nearly had dropped stew on it a few weeks ago, much to her dismay.

"What did you want to ask," Alphonse said between bites.

"Oh," Bish stood against the wall awkwardly. This was a hard question to ask. "About the whole incident back in town..."

"I'm sorry," he apologized immediately. "I should have been more vigilant about everything. I didn't mean for us to get involved with those women."

"It's not that," Bish waved it off impatiently. "I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. You're a very good looking guy, Al."

Alphonse looked up and turned pink at her words but continued to eat. He couldn't tell her that she was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever met. He wouldn't mention that the first time he saw her, he couldn't help but feel as though he had found something special. Instead, he rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged.

"Anyway," she continued, wringing her hands back and forth. "Alphonse?"

"Yes, Bish?"

"Since when am I your girlfriend?"

Alphonse stopped mid-bite as he looked up at her carefully. Looking uncertain, she made herself lock her eyes with his as she waited for his answer. He placed the tray of food aside and sighed softly, as though unsure of what to say. Bish took it as a bad sign and regretted her question instantly. Here was an adorably cute guy with a heart of gold, treating her like a precious treasure and she had to screw it up by defining their relationship. Well, he had called her his girlfriend and she wasn't sure when that had happened. Last time she had a boyfriend, she jumped in bed with him the second week of dating.

"Bish," he murmured, holding out a hand to her. "Come here."

"Answer my question, Al."

Bish's voice quivered slightly as she stared at him. After a minute, he lowered his hand when he saw that she wasn't budging. Slowly, he stood up and walked over to her. She crossed her arms over her chest as a defense mechanism and looked away as he stood in front of her.

"Look at me, Bish," he murmured softly.

"Just... just forget it," she sighed. "I'm already screwing things up."

She started when he placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her still. Bish looked up at him with an expression of frustration on his face. Bish raised her eyebrows at him as though asking a question. Her playful demeanor took over as she tried to hide her vulnerabilities from him. It didn't fool Al one bit as he pulled her into an embrace.

"I didn't think I needed to ask," he mumbled into her hair. "I thought I was already yours from the start."

"Al..."

"Shh," he stated firmly, pulling away only slightly to look at her face. She was blushing heavily at his words and seemed to be at a loss. "I know I'm not the best with words. I'm shy and I like to avoid being the center of attention. But I never thought I would need to tell you that I wanted you to be with me."

"I didn't exactly give you much of a choice," Bish broke from his arms and sat on the bed to keep some distance. Her head was spinning.

"I could have walked away," Al said, holding up his fingers to count out his reasons. "I could have said no. I could have told my brother and we could have left. Should I go on?"

"So you thought it all out then," Bish asked briskly.

"If I wanted to leave, I had every chance."

Bish closed her laptop and placed it on the floor to keep it from falling. She wasn't sure what to do now that this whole mess had been brought up. She chalked it up to being confined in the ship and unable to have her normal fun. Al sat on the bed next to her, keeping himself from touching her as he didn't know what she wanted.

"You still can," Bish rubbed her eyes with her palms. "You don't have to be with me. I don't like to be pitied and being cheated on isn't fun either."

"I don't want that," he said, alarmed. "Unless you're trying to get rid of me...?"

Bish lowered one of her hands to look at him and immediately regretted her words. He looked lost and hurt at her words. She groaned inwardly and fell back on the bed in frustration. Al didn't budge.

"I didn't mean it like that," Bish turned on her side, her back facing him. "I just don't know what we're going to do. We're from different time periods... and we don't know when we'll go back."

"Then we should make the best of whatever time we have," Al said softly. "I am not going anywhere."

"But what if we never see each other after this," Bish whispered.

She wouldn't cry, she told herself. He was an imaginary character from some stupid cartoon show. She had a life back in California with friends and family waiting for them. She wouldn't sacrifice it for some guy! It wasn't like she loved him...

Bish closed her eyes and felt cold at the thought. _No_, she thought. _I don't love him. I don't love the way he kisses me or holds me like I have something special inside me. I don't love the way he looks at me with such adoration. My heart doesn't beat fast when he's around. My tongue doesn't stick to the roof of my mouth. I'm not—_

_Fuck,_ she realized heavily. _I'm in love with Alphonse._

"Bish," Al placed a cool hand on her shoulder. "We'll come to that when it happens."

Bish sat up from her position and turned to him slowly. Her eyes were closed and she no idea what she would say or if she would tell him. _It could complicate things,_ she thought. Then Bish looked at him. _It could make things wonderful too..._

"Bishie," Alphonse started but she placed the tips of her fingers on his mouth for a moment. Wisely, he stayed silent.

"Shh," she said, cradling his face with her palms and gently bringing him closer.

The kiss was soft and slow, the pressure barely felt as Alphonse groaned softly. She slid her hands around his neck and moved to her knees to get better leverage as she felt his hands hold her waist steady to keep her from falling. Bish broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against his, looking into kind gray eyes. They smoldered with something she had seen only once before.

Desire.

"Alphonse," Bish breathed... "_Te amo_..."

"Hmm?"

Bish sat on her calves and wouldn't look at him completely. Alphonse blinked and tried to clear his head from the fog that currently resided in it. He had trouble remembering whenever she kissed him. But from her reaction, she had said something important. Bish groaned softly and her shoulders slumped. His eyes opened wide when he translated what she said and sat there, stunned.

"Never mind," Bish said, rushed, standing up in a whirlwind of panic and embarrassment. Rejection never felt good. "I was just... trying to give you a Spanish lesson."

"_Beso_," Alphonse said, tilting his head to get a good look at her.

"Yes, that was a kiss."

"No," Alphonse stood up and grabbed her arm. "I meant I want another one."

"Oh."

Bish was pulled to him and he kissed her then and there. He held nothing back, sure that she had meant what she said. He saw the hurt her eyes. Alphonse weaved his fingers into her curls and held her close with his arm, nearly lifting her from the floor. When he felt her kissing back, he tugged her hair gently to make her gasp. He took advantage of her open mouth and kissed her the way she had shown him; the way that made her fists clench and toes curl. Her response was instantaneous as Bish moaned, uninhibited.

"You love me," Alphonse whispered against her mouth.

"Nhggg."

"Liar," he countered. "_Te ama..._"

"_Te amo_," she corrected automatically before caught on. "What?"

"Ana, I love you," he said firmly. "And I don't care what happens. I love you now."

"Thank fuckin' God," Bish sighed. "Now I won't feel guilty."

"Guilty about what?"

"Taking your V-Card."

"What's that?"

Bish smiled fiendishly as she pushed him onto the bed with force. He fell back, confused as she began to unbutton her shirt. His eyes grew big and he nearly turned purple as Bish joined him on the bed by straddling him. His blood was rushing to certain parts of his body as his eyes (as much as he tried to reign them in, but was no use) roved over her deliciously caramel-colored skin. She laughed softly as she looked down over him.

"Beso," she whispered, her hand lingering on the button of his shirt. When he made no protest, she made sure not to fumble again.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was late before they finally left the bar. Lupin had drunk a bit of rum with the crew while Ed sulked in the background. Her guilt seemed overwhelming and she felt as though the alcohol was helping her from thinking of how _hard _and _tight _his body was. If she had any reservations about his manhood, they were strangely absent after that kiss. When the heat in her cheeks grew unbearable, she drank more rum. Her body was beginning to feel more and more loose. Edward eyed her once and deemed it was time to go back to the ship. She was starting to slur her words. Apparently she did not know her limit.

_Especially when Jack was around_, he thought, fuming.

"I feel good," she whispered as he helped her out of the bar. "Didja tell Gibbs-"

"I told him," Ed muttered. "You smell like Jack and probably drank _his_ usual amount."

"No, Jack smells like cheap perfume and hookers," Lupin paused and burst out laughing at her own words. "He knowzzah... what womens like!"

"Are you serious," Edward scowled and his gripped tightened on the petite drunk woman he was helping back.

He was surrounded by hooting people looking at them like a couple. While Lupin continued to make an ass out of herself, Edward kept his emotions at bay and tried to distract himself from the feel of her subtle curves pressing against his body. Her pale skin was dusted with the merest hint of tan and her face had freckles. Her eyes were dark and unreadable, despite his excellent skills at guessing what people were thinking.

"Edward," she gulped.

"What?"

"I gotta puke!"

With a disgusted expression, he managed to turn Lupin at just the right time as she heaved her guts near a ditch. The smell was ripe with rum and whatever she had eaten that day. Thankfully, her hair was short so he didn't have to hold it back but he pulled out a small handkerchief and wiped her mouth when she was done. She didn't look as inebriated now that most of the contents of her stomach was on the ground.

"I feel like crap," Lupin muttered. "I don't think I should have drank that much."

"You shouldn't have drunk at all."

With a sigh, he knelt on one knee and helped her on his back. She didn't protest that much due to her body being out of her control. If she didn't die that night, she would remember to thank Edward for his unusually kind gesture. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders as she piggy-backed on him. Her breathing tickled his ear as he huffed back to the docks.

"Thank you, Edward."

A pause.

"Sure."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The ship was practically empty. It was a night in Tortuga, that was enough reason for even the most stalwart sailor. Edward helped her down off his back and helped to the kitchens where there was water and something to put in Lupin's stomach. She looked worse for wear but didn't complain or argue which was a bonus, Ed thought.

"Where's Bishie," she asked tiredly. "She'll get a kick out of seeing me drunk..."

"She's probably with Al around town," Edward tipped his kerchief into some water and placed it on her head. "You need to drink water."

"Hand it over," Lupin grunted. "Ugh, why do people drink?"

"To help forget."

"Forget what?"

"Pain, misery," Edward paused and looked at her pointedly. "Heartache."

"Right."

Lupin drank as much water as her stomach could tolerate. She guessed that a hangover was in order the next morning. Edward sat beside her quietly, assisting her in any way could while she was still a bit tipsy. Groaning, she stood up and went to where the fruit was kept. Ironically, at the top of a pile was a shiny red apple.

"Might as well," Lupin tossed it to Edward. "Start it for me? Everything hurts right now."

"Fine," Edward bit into the apple and returned it. He didn't think she had the capacity to catch a projectile object. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Lupin looked away nervously as he scanned her with his sharp eyes.

"That's good, I didn't want to have to drag you from the bar."

"I've never gotten drunk before."

"It shows," he smirked.

"Haha, laugh at the drunk wolf. You're lucky I don't feel like an idiot or I'd kick your ass,"

"You're saying that you _can _kick my ass," Edward raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Lupin shrugged nonchalantly. "I can."

"And you would know this... how," Edward snatched the apple from her as it reached her lips. He tossed it in the air before he took a gigantic bite out of it.

"Hey, that's mine," Lupin protested angrily. "Give it back!"

"Make me."

The gauntlet was thrown. Lupin glared at him in anger as he tauntingly waved the apple in her face. She was so tempted to kick him in the balls but she was still wasted. With a sigh, she decided to take his challenge and stood right in front of him.

"Give me my damn apple," Lupin snarled.

"Someone's in a bad mood," he stated mockingly.

"You're pissing me off."

Edward held the apple to her after that. His face was stoic and she feared the worst until he grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. He tipped her chin back and looked into her eyes. She tried to move away but he held fast.

_He's so damn hot_, Lupin thought briefly. His eyes were truly golden, almost shooting at sparks when he was particularly moody. Today, they were calm but focused as he stared at her eyes. Lupin felt her body begin to shake and betray her as she wished desperately for him to do something. When his hand fell from her face, she breathed out a sigh of relief yet couldn't help but crave that touch again.

"Someone added an opiate to your drink," Edward muttered with a swear.

"W-what?"

"Someone was trying to drug you."

"Oh."

"You need to be more careful! I can't always be there to take care of you."

"Last time I checked," Lupin said coldly. "I didn't ask you to take care of me. In fact, I said quite the opposite."

"And I hadn't been there, you would have passed out and someone might have killed you, or worse," Edward snapped. "Didn't you think of that?'

"Oh, drop the hero act, Ed."

Lupin grabbed the apple and threw it in the rubbish pile. She had lost her appetite and felt the rage trying to consume her. Edward was no better as he visibly shook in anger. Without another word, she walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She heard his boots echo her own and looked back to see him following her.

"I'm not finished," he growled.

"I don't need this bullshit right now," Lupin replied flatly.

With that, she pushed the door open of the cabin that she and Bish shared. She wasn't prepared for the sight that met her. Edward bumped into her and he started to argue but the words died down on his lips.

On the bed, Bish and Alphonse were currently playing tonsil hockey, practically nude. Bish had on a linen shirt and not much else while Alphonse was a sheet over his lap, which Lupin was grateful for. And she wouldn't even talk about where the hands were.

"A-AL?"

Bish jerked away from Al who looked confused for a moment. Then he saw his brother at the doorway with Lupin and squeaked in an unmanly way. Bish closed her shirt quickly and sat down on the bed next to her boyfriend.

"Bish... what the fuck," Lupin asked bluntly.

"There is no reasonable explanation," Bish blurted out. "I've been framed?"

"Alphonse, what...?"

"Yes, brother," Al placed a hand on Bish's shoulder.

"What are you doing, man?"

"This is so wrong," Lupin sniggered. "Bish, get dressed and we'll talk to you both when you're dressed. Come on, Ed."

"But-"

"Your brother is now a man," Lupin pointed out. "Come on, or do I have to drag you out?"

"My little brother," Edward said hollowly.

When the door closed, Bish glanced at Al who look rather shell-shocked but pleased. She turned around to face him and was wrapped in his embrace before she had a chance to say anything. He kissed her softly and laughed.

"I suppose they had to find out sometime," he murmured.

"So you don't regret anything," Bish asked uncertainly. "I didn't give you much of a choice. Again."

"If you keep making decisions like that, I'm hardly likely to complain."

"Good point."

Outside, Lupin was cackling to herself while Edward had a mild panic attack in general, yelling at random moments about how his brother's innocence was stolen. Lupin had to hand it to her best friend, she was never predictable.

"Ed, calm down. It was going to happen sooner than later."

"I don't care!"

"So, you expected your brother to be a virgin forever?"

"No but-"

"Exactly," Lupin started laughing again. "I think you're jealous."

"I am NOT!"

"You're the only one that hasn't gotten laid on this ship," Lupin rubbed the back of her neck. "I'll be honest, Jack was my first but-"

"Everyone on the ship knows that," Edward said cruelly.

"Ow, Ed."

Lupin sighed, staring at him. It was some kind of miracle that she kept talking to the midget wonder when he said such horrible things. Perhaps it was the alcohol in her system or the fact that she didn't want to fight while her friend was naked. Either way, she ignored that jab and shook her head.

"You've known about them being together for a long time. It was inevitable step."

"I didn't think Bish would be so-"

"So what?"

"I don't like it," Ed grunted.

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why, Edward?"

"Damn it," he snarled, punching the post. Lupin flinched but didn't move away. "Maybe because I can't have that too!"

Lupin blanched at his words, knowing exactly what he meant. His eyes were blazing with anger and pain. He was like a cornered animal with his claws out. Lupin was unsure of what to do but he did it for her. Edward kissed her.

For the life of her, there had been very few moments where she was left speechless, dumbfounded and completely blissful. It was hard and rushed, with hands holding her tightly as she barely protested. It wasn't right and she shoved him away weakly. He took a few steps back, despite his need for more.

"Edward..."

"I know, damn it. I know."

"Then why would you-"

"Tell Alphonse I'll talk to him later. And if he tries to stay here the night, come get me."

With that, he stormed off the ship and into the crowds surrounding the docks. Lupin licked her lips and could taste the very essence of him clinging to her mouth. She was a jumbled up mess of emotions and managed to stomp down the overwhelming to cry as the door of the cabin opened behind her. With a forced smile, she saw Bish walk out.

"Is Ed on a murderous rampage," she asked, fixing her curls. "Because I think he's pissed off enough to take on Jones, for serious."

"He's pissed," Lupin rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Bish..."

"Oh, please don't bitch at me. You got Jack, damn it!"

"No, I just really need to know something."

"Alphonse is a demon in the sack," Bish seriously. "He rocked my world and I feel like I'll have to walk around cowboy style because he broke my vagina. Happy?"

"That's all well and good," Lupin muttered, looking nauseous. "But did you have to do it in MY bed?"

"To be honest, we didn't really notice."

"Great."

"He didn't spooge on your bed, so don't worry."

"Ugh, Bish..."

Alphonse walked out of the cabin, adjusting his shirt. Bish leered at him and laughed when he blushed slightly. With a frown, he looked around for Edward and realized that he had probably marched off.

"Your brother is somewhere in Tortuga, killing and maiming," Bish supplied. "He's pissed to hell and probably went to go get a priest so we can be married."

"Oh my god, can I be maid of honor," Lupin gushed. Alphonse turned as white as a ghost.

"Wh-what?"

"The last part was a joke, but he's probably killing people," Lupin quipped. "If you want to talk to him, I'd wait until he's back."

"Awesome," Bish grinned. Alphonse and Lupin both looked her way. "Come on, Al. Let's go have sex on his bed!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Aaaand, this is Lupin, back from the grave! Nah, but really, Bishquet wrote this chapter as a kick-starter for my uninspired ass. So, I thank her, and you'd better to, goddammit! She worked hard on it, and demands Wingstop! ...Seriously. **

**So, yeah, I'll try to get my ass into gear and start writing again. Ha ha. **

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are _delicious_. ;3**


	61. Trust

**Trust**

**Reviewers: **

**Keiyou**

**Dragon of Twilight**

**D3athrav3n92**

**BIRDZILLA**

**Haganeochibi**

**Bishify**

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**xXSweetestXAngelXNightmareXx**

**Shay Weaver**

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**Shadowcaster01**

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_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all ****? ****to their respective owners, I don****稚 ****own them. **

**To **_**Bishify**_**: I miss your ass, bitch. I'll be comin' home in July for the AX in a month! Wewt! **

**To everyone else: Oh, my God! Is it true! Is Lupin alive? **

**...Why, yes it is! Sorry I've been away so damned long! I'm so tired after a long day at the shop, so its hard to find inspiration! And, because I forgot to add the reviewers from the two chapters ago into the last chapter, I had to double the amount of reviewers onto this chapter. xD **

**And goddamn, its gonna be a long chapter to make up for my, uh...absent-ness. And yes, I made up a word, hush. Dammit. xD**

**Enjoy the chapter, now!**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Trust is like a vase. Once it's broken, though you can fix it, the vase will never be the same again._**- Anonymous**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Now ye see lads and ladies, we've a bit of a situation on our hands. While we are on approach to Singapore, there are some significant things to know about whom we'll be dealin' with, and what we're to be after while we're in this...city."

Barbossa paced, slow and poised and quite at ease with his higher rank above the others around him. He smiled, but it was thin and filled with hidden contempt. Eyes stared back at him, waiting, including those of the _Observer_'s original hands. Ragetti's wooden eye squeaked noisily as he followed Barbossa and Cotton's parrot warbled every once in a while. Jack crouched upon his shoulder like a little gremlin or a gargoyle, chattering away quietly in the pirate's ear.

"First of all, we be needin' charts to where we'll be goin' after Jack Sparrow."

Pointedly, he ignored the huffy remark of, "_Captain_ Jack Sparrow," from a certain brunette young lady. He caught her sparing him a quick glare, but she said nothing else. He rested a hand on the hilt of his sword as he continued.

"And that be where young Master Turner will taking his place. Captain Sao Feng has a...most revered uncle and this uncle has a temple in the mountains not far from port in Singapore."

"What exactly is in this temple?" Will called out to the captain, his eyes ever so slightly narrowed with suspicion. One soon learned to be on his toes when it came to handling Captain Hector Barbossa. He was wily man and often twisted words or used loopholes to benefit him and allow ill will to fall with his enemies.

Barbossa only smiled, cunning and sneaky, like a devilish fox. "That is where you come in. We be needin' those charts, and if I know Sao Feng-which I do-he will not give them in so easily. It will most likely be easier to procure a ship and a crew manageable enough from him than the charts."

"You want me to steal charts?" Will responded, surprise coloring his tone. Lupin gave him a glance before rolling her eyes. Bish saw this and gave her friend a light nudge in the ribs with her elbow.

"Yes, that's what I said. Now, Master Elric."

Edward perked slightly. Over the past several weeks spent sailing with Barbossa, he had come to know himself in the pirate's presence as "Master Elric", while Alphonse was simply, "Younger Elric". Edward eyed the man with a beady gaze, peppered with the same suspicion that Will had addressed Barbossa with.

"You shall be accompanying Master Turner to the temple to retrieve these charts."

Edward narrowed his gaze to mere slits, a fire in his eyes. "Wouldn't it be simpler to have one person going and having less risk of discovery, than having two and doubling that risk?" He questioned the man. Barbossa once more gave a thin, scornful smile and gave a few chuckles.

"It would, that be true. But I want the job done and I want it done right. If that's all right by your reckoning, Master Elric."

That smile...it mocked him. He hated Barbossa, probably worse than he hated Jack. But then again, he never found any way better to do things than do them the hard way. Barbossa turned to the other men and began addressing them: Ragetti, Pintel, Gibbs, Cotton, Marty, and some of the others as well. Lastly, he called, "Younger Elric."

Both the Elric brothers jolted at that. Edward froze, staring at his younger brother while Alphonse stared at Barbossa. There wasn't so much shock as there was expectancy. The initial daze Edward experienced fled him almost immediately as he turned towards Barbossa. The man had no eyes for him, though. Barbossa looked over the faces of the men called, ignoring the _Observer'_s crew completely.

"Ye'll be infiltratin' the underground of the bathhouse we'll be visitin'. I don't want to be caught unawares, but they strip ye of weapons, to ensure no treachery is afoot in their own territory. Bring weapons."

"Excuse me, but how do you know so much of this place? Have you ever been down to these exact places before?" It was Elizabeth this time. Eyes turned to her in unison, almost in a comical fashion. Then they turned back to Barbossa, to see what he'd say. He assessed her, tilting his head slightly up, but always that contemptuous smile of his remained. Mocking.

"Miss Swann," he began, amusement lacing his tone, "you forget that I have been sailing around for near ten years without need of food or drink. I think I know of some things in this world that you don't, believe it or not. So ye best just do as I say and leave it at that."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They were in Singapore. As soon as they made port, the _Observer_ and its crew made a hightailed getaway from the place, back from whence it came. Or, so its previously piratical captain and his crew came to believe. What they didn't know was that nearly twenty miles out into open sea, no sign of land behind them, they were swooped in upon and attacked by the East India Trading Company. The appointed captain of the ship had been pitilessly beaten and taken to Mercer, where the man extracted the information he needed to know. The _Observer_ was burned and its crew captured and relocated to the brig of Mercer's ship.

Then Mercer's ship turned sail towards Singapore and arrived that very night. Sao Feng was not pleased when he learned of the East India Trading Company in his city, the soldiers combing through, trying to find him...and his guests.

In the mean time, the crew had found their own hideout in the city of Singapore, as Sao Feng had his. It wasn't as good a cover as Sao Feng's but it was better than sitting out in the open. During the time of reconnaissance and of putting together the finishing touches of planning, Bish was in one of the huts they had procured for a hideout, pacing. Her thoughts ran rampant. Lupin was going with Elizabeth and Barbossa to meet Sao Feng. Edward was going with Will to fetch the charts from the temple. Alphonse was going with Gibbs and the other men to act as backup for Elizabeth, Lupin, and Barbossa. Hell, even Tia Dalma was leaving the sanctity of hideout to participate in a role to help this plan come together.

But Bish? She knew she wasn't much of a fighter. She wasn't as quick with a blade or fast with her hands and feet in a physical engagement as the others were. Lupin had trained harder than her; it was expected that in time, she'd be almost as good with a blade as those who've taken the time to teach her. She'd even had her own share of scars from the duel between herself, Will and Norrington. The most noticeable one had been the one on the back of her hand. Bish remembered it'd taken almost four weeks to heal properly.

Bish flinched at the sound of tromping boots and Englishmen shouting out orders along the rickety stilt-legged houses and bridges of Singapore. Then it was quiet around the hut. She knew she was never going to be as good with a blade as her friend, but she knew that where she lacked in the blade, she made up for it when it came to shooting. She preferred it over using a blade and Lupin never practiced that much, anyway. She wasn't as good as Bish was, and for that, she could have some pride.

And that was her only role, even if she didn't find it very satisfactory, with Barbossa's plan. If anything were to go down, snipe out the soldiers. Shoot them down. Whatever it took. It sent shudders all along her back and she felt her stomach grow taut and uneasy. Shoot them down. Kill them.

The sudden thought of shooting a man sent her back to Tripoli. The dark of the night hadn't been dark enough to cover them from the Navy's sight. They fired their muskets. Rounds flew past her. She saw Lupin ahead, the Elric brothers together as well. Jack flashed past. Bishquet kept her pace, urging herself faster. Then a man cried, flew and fell to the ground, motionless. Lupin stopped, staring. Bish found herself looking as well.

Red on the man's back, blood spilling on the streets. Oh God, he was dead, wasn't he, dead, dead, dead as a doorknob—

Bish shook the memory away, feeling more sick to her stomach now that she remembered that night. Several men had been lost. She had seen one of them get shot and die in cold blood. _This wasn't what I signed up for. I signed up to go _home_. Oh, God._

She pinched her lips together and took deep breaths. She couldn't do it. She couldn't go about shooting down men in cold blood like she had seen done before. What if she—

The curtain hanging in the doorway was shoved back and Lupin stepped into the hut, looking around, sweat on her brow. She glanced over her shoulder, then looked at Bish and then glanced at the table. She saw the rations that they'd collected from the _Observer_ and from the market and pounced upon it, nibbling at a chunk of stale bread. Bish watched for a moment before catching her friend's eyes. Lupin stopped chewing and swallowed, brows knit together.

"What? I'm hungry..."

Bish breathed deep before blurting, "I can't do it."

The younger woman froze, then straightened. "Can't do what, exactly?

"I can't do it. I can't...shoot. I won't. I want to go out with you. I can't...stay in here, all right? I'm gonna get killed by staying here. I'm going to talk to Barbossa-,"

"No. No you ain't. You can't go out there, it's more dangerous," Lupin interrupted, setting her bread down. Bish pursed her lips. She felt the anger bubbling up, and from seeing her friend's clenched jaw, Lupin was as well.

"And why is it that I can't fucking go?"

"Because I said so!"

"That isn't good enough!" Bish snarled at her stubborn friend. Lupin glared right back, refusing to back down. Although Lupin was as short as she ever was, her posture was intimidating enough. She had cast aside her twenty-first century clothing and had switched to the more century appropriate clothing. Her hair had been done up with braids and baubles and nowadays, she hardly took off the bandana she had on her brow...if ever, actually.

But it wasn't the clothing that only helped her look like she belonged in this century; it was the polished sword at her side, along with the knife and the pistol in her sash. Even if Lupin wasn't as good with the pistol as Bish was, she still carried one.

"You can't control me, I can go if I want!"

"With the little practice you've been putting into your swordsmanship, I don't think so! I'm not gonna risk you on the streets without being able to defend yourself."

"I can shoot! So what's the fuckin' problem?" She snapped back. In the last few weeks, tempers had flared, and nerves had been frayed. Not only was it difficult to get a rise out of their new captain, he was not the same as Jack's rule. His order aboard the _Observer_ had a completely different regime than Jack. It had been a difficult transition. Lupin had already been in the brig twice for her smart mouth, and Bish suspected that Lupin didn't really give two shits. She was being as rebellious as she was being incredibly stupid with the man.

"I'm not gonna have you turned into target practice, or worse, if we run into the Company!" Lupin hissed back under her breath, so quiet only Bish could hear. Bish paused at this, and then she remembered that the the Company was still in Singapore, looking for them-Captain Sao Feng.

Lupin's face was set hard, her jaw clenched and lips pursed in a thin line, blue-gray eyes storming up like a nasty Atlantic hurricane. Bish could be just as every bit stubborn, and goddammit, she was gonna win this argument! Or, at the very least, if things didn't go her way, scream til her throat was fucking sore and her lungs were ready to burst. It'd be worth it in the end if she could give Lupin an earful.

Which was why her plan backfired in the end at Lupin's next words.

"I am not going to...I'm not gonna risk _losing_ you, dammit. If they caught you, or they killed you...Goddammit, I don't know what I'd do." The hardness in Lupin's voice had vanished, replaced by a frightened and insecure young woman, not the hardened follower of a piratical crew. Bish had seen her friend become coarser and gruffer with the others, and the time spent in the brig had done nothing to improve her attitude. Not to mention, there was also the tension between herself and Edward.

Bish stared, flabbergasted at this new face, almost unrecognizable. All the stress, all the severity Lupin seemed to snap out at the world with, it was gone. A tired, young and scared girl replaced her, with haunted eyes that looked ready to spill hot tears. Lupin moved forward, boots thumping across the wood and she pulled Bish into a tight hug. Bish stood there for several moments, shocked, before she returned the embrace. Lupin trembled and for once, Bish knew how scared her friend was concerning the mission that lay ahead.

"I'm scared of losing you. I don't know what I'd do if you were killed by those bastards. I really don't. Please, I know you want to help...I really do, but please, just stay here. Be safe. That's all I want. I know I shouldn't be going, either, but I have to."

There was her little Loopy, hiding behind a mean mask from the world. Bish frowned, closing her eyes. Her throat tightened. "I don't want to be useless. I can't just _sit_ here. I can't."

Lupin gave a watery chuckle. "Yeah, but I'm not the only one here, remember? Don't forget your pretty boy Alphonse. I don't even want to think of what he'd do if something were to happen to you."

Bish paused at that, and several mental images and scenarios danced across her mind. None of them were fairly promising concerning her well being and Alphonse's...reactions. She even shuddered at one possible situation. _Fuckin' Rambo-style those bitches, Jeee-zus. _

"And what about you, Miss "I'm a fucking pirate, so suck my balls". Huh? What do you think your boy would do if you got shot or stabbed?"

Lupin stiffened before she pulled away, hands quickly running over her sash, her sword, her pistol, her knife. She smiled, but by now, Bish knew it was false. It was always a little too cheery, and perhaps even sad, whenever she mentioned Edward into a conversation. There was still that tension, and she could see it on Ed's face as well. But she knew she couldn't talk with the young man; he was still angry with her for what she and Alphonse had done all those weeks ago...

"We're just friends, remember? I took care of it."

"Yeah, by rejecting him. Not really sure that qualifies as "taking care" of it-,"

"I took care of it." Lupin reiterated more forcefully. A tired smile graced her lips momentarily, but it vanished at the sound of footsteps creaking along the wooden walkway closer to their hideout. She glanced at the doorway before turning back to Bish.

"You can shoot better than me, hun. A lot better." A sheepish smile crossed Lupin's face. She knew she wasn't as good, just as Bish knew too. Then the smile vanished. "But I want you to stay hidden, and if they come, run. Run for your fucking life and hide as fast as you fucking can. That's the change in plan, you got it? Don't say nothing to that bastard Barbossa. I ain't gonna have you risking your life just because he wants you to."

"And what happens when we get our ship? Then what?" Bish reminded dully. Lupin sighed, almost impatiently even.

"Well, I'll come get you, duh. Shoot someone in the ass when you can, though. They won't be getting up for a while." Lupin grinned wolfishly.

Again, that mite of jealousy came to her. Why couldn't she have gotten as good with a blade? Swords and knives don't run out of bullets. And she could only shoot so many times, with limited ammo and gunpowder. But then the jealousy washed away and she felt pride for her friend. Lupin could handle herself against a soldier working for the Company, Bish couldn't. _Maybe she's right. I should just...snipe some of them out from a distance. At least I'd be able to get away if they tried to come after me._

She studied her friend's face and Lupin waited, that vulnerability still plastered on her face. Bish finally nodded and smiled at her friend. "Okay. Let's kick some ass."

"Heh. Right on."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was a grim day, very grim indeed. But, of course, the weather never seemed to match anyone's mood who experienced the dismal outlook on life. It was bright and sunny, the hints of a light early morning fog fading under the rising sun's path, warming and greeting the day. Piracy was what the prisoners indulged in, but it was also piracy what had them marked.

"In order to effect a timely halt to deteriorating conditions, and to ensure the common good, a state of emergency is declared for these territories, by decree of Lord Cutler Beckett, duly appointed representative of His Majesty the King. By decree, according to martial law, the following statutes are temporarily amended: right to assembly, suspended."

Those assembled lined up at the gallows, condemned to die, plunged beneath the wood. The officer's voice continued, undeterred.

"Right to _habeus __corpus_, suspended."

Men and women both suffered the same fate.

"Right to legal counsel, suspended."

More came, resigned to their fate.

"Right to verdict by a jury of peers, suspended."

Another row of men and women, gone from this living world, moving on to the next.

"All persons convicted of piracy, or aiding a person convicted of piracy, or associating with a person convicted of piracy, shall be sentenced to hang by the neck until dead."

Another set of the living dead came to the gallows' deck. The last to follow was smaller than the rest, donning a head of scraggly, limp brown hair and a pale face. He wore too small clothing for a growing boy, his slacks already up his calves, dirtied with months of hard work and brine.

The shackles clanged. He looked up and saw the hanging noose well above him. One glance and he returned to his intent stare of the piece of eight, twisting it in his hands. Quietly, he sang to himself, an old forgotten sea shanty, as old as piracy itself.

"_The King and his men stole the Queen from her bed  
__And bound her in her bones...  
__T__he seas be ours, and by the power  
__W__here we will, we'll roam..._"

Down the line, another condemned man slowly picked back up where the child began, his voice soft, but the words of great significance, words of great importance. The men and women facing their deaths on the gallows joined. The child joined. Those waiting in chains, in line, joined. They pounded their feet to a slow, drumming rhythm. The chains rattled and clinked against their wrists and their ankles. They sang on.

One man moved away from the crowds and towards a seated figure. He stopped several distant feet away from the figure and merely said, "They've started to sing...sir.

Lord Cutler Beckett did not give the man the slightest glimpse. Behind him, the song continued as he said with utmost definiteness, "Finally."

"_Never shall we die..._"

The gallows dropped and all that hung below were the twitching feet of the dead and a single piece of eight dropped to the ground, forgotten.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They sang in unison, the words soft and haunting. Elizabeth guided their little boat with the pole through the murky-watered stilted homes, passing under walkways and bridges. Lupin sat at the bow of the little rocking boat while Elizabeth steered from the aft with the long pole. Around them, life continued for the Singaporean residents. Even with the constant presence of the Company in their midst, they went about their lives as though the British weren't there.

The paused in their quiet singing when a flash of light and spitting of sparks caught their attention as they passed under bridges, soldiers pounding away on the wooden walkways. Then they picked right back without a hitch.

They began to approach the wall with the iron gate just up ahead, a little dock off to its right. Lupin adjusted the hat on her head, tipping it down slightly. They slid up against the little dock and Elizabeth got out first, Lupin hot on her heels as fast as she could without falling out. The last lines of the song came to an abrupt halt as she and Elizabeth were cut off by the mocking sound of another's voice, finishing it for them.

Three males filed out from behind the wall just before the iron grate, the last two standing behind the first. He glanced them over and Lupin felt that itch to reach for her knife-the same itch she felt every time Barbossa was around. He grated on her nerves so bad, she almost expected to be stabbed in the back by him if she didn't keep on her toes. She wouldn't put it past Barbossa; after all, he had done the same thing-metaphorically speaking-to Jack Sparrow several times.

"A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its glance. Lupin tensed. _Who said we're ignorant_, she wanted to spit back out, but she held her tongue as he continued saying to them, "particularly two women...particularly, two women _alone_."

"What makes you think they're alone?"

They pivoted, turning to see Captain Hector Barbossa descending stone stairs, big hat and all, staring hard at the men.

"You protect her?" He asked of Barbossa. Lupin's ears caught the soft _shnk_ of a blade leaving a sheath and glanced at Elizabeth moving towards the ring leader of the trio, and suddenly she was on him, blade pressing against his throat.

"What makes you think we need protecting?" She hissed in his ear. Lupin, in response, took out her pistol, holding it at arm's length at one of the other two. The two Singaporeans flashed their eyes back and forth between the two women. One of them drew their own pistol and pointed it at Elizabeth, the other at Lupin. The younger woman hesitated, fear pounding mercilessly at her heart and she almost took an instinctive step back, but held her ground. Lupin even dared to think that Barbossa might have offered a small snort of laughter at this, but it might have been her imagination.

He honed in on the ring leader of the Singaporeans, treading his words with infinite care and truth to them. "Your master's expectin' us, and an unexpected death would cast a slight pall on our meetin'."

Both women gave Barbossa a hard stare. Elizabeth was the first to release her prisoner and Lupin waited a good few seconds, still slightly fearful that she would be shot, or worse. Barbossa gave her those extra few seconds of a meaningful, yet quiet sneer her way before she stashed her pistol back in its place. She found that her hands were shaking uncontrollably after she had done so and she tried forcing herself to calm down.

Those few precious extra seconds nearly cost them as the sound of British soldiers on the move came nearly overhead of them. They were ushered close to the wall, pressing against it to hide as best they could as they watched the little platoon trotting away, their own troop leader calling out to his men.

One by one, the group of six followed down a little stone passageway near the little iron gate, following the Singaporean men. Barbossa and the last Singaporean brought up the rear, pausing only for a few moments to cast another gaze out before slipping int the passageway after the others.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Bish stared out impatiently from the hut she found herself alone inside of. Tia Dalma had left not that long ago, her tinkling laughter dissipating as she took Mr. Cotton's colorful macaw and Barbossa's nasty little monkey along with her. She was alone, and she wished sorely for Alphonse or Lupin, or someone of familiar company to come back, fill in the empty void. Hell, she'd even take Edward's presence, the righteous bastard, even if she was still steaming mad from his stunt not that long ago.

It hadn't been long after they'd left Tortuga that Edward had confronted his younger brother. It was hard to conceal private matters on ships, and soon what little privacy they did have got blown to bits as their argument escalated. The few that stared in their general direction were clearly unconcerned with getting in trouble with Captain Barbossa. Bish and Lupin had raced over at the sound of their yelling. It was clear that things were getting heated between the usually peaceful brothers.

Bish recalled her silence in the heat of the moment. She had never seen Alphonse so furious, and it only seemed to feed Edward's anger. Despite the urge to get involved and pull away Al, she allowed them to yell their emotions out. It was the only way that Edward would listen and it gave Alphonse a change to be heard. It had been Tia Dalma who had made the onlookers return to their duties. With a gentle nudge, the voodoo priestess had quietly sent Elizabeth away as well before turning to the brothers. They hadn't even noticed a thing.

As soon as it came to a physical altercation-namely, Alphonse shoving his brother away from him, surprising Bish and Lupin alike-Bish knew it was time to pull the two brothers apart and let them cool off. She stepped between them and grabbed Alphonse's arm, forcing him to turn away from his brother and face her. His eyes were blazing with anger and Bish understood never to piss him off. His expression turned stoic and ridged though he did not pull away from her touch. Bish raked back his hair and patted his cheek with her warm palm.

"Leave it be, Al. You're not going to come to any agreement. You both need to let off some steam. Come on, I have a spider I need you to kill."

With a grunt, he nodded and turned away. Tia Dalma had made sure to leave while everything was happening, leaving the foursome to their privacy and allow them all to come to terms with their personal issues. Lupin stayed quiet throughout the whole argument. She didn't feel as though it was an issue she could comment on, despite the fact that Bish was her best friend. She had only stared, as if she had been watching the fight from a disembodied point of view. It had only been when Bishquet threw her silent friend a glare that aroused the younger woman. She had seen her friend hesitate, eyes flickering towards the still vehement Edward, muttering and spitting like a swearing alley cat.

Relief had welled up inside of Bish when her friend had finally moved forward, stepping towards Edward. He had flinched as soon as Lupin tried to touch him, to lead him away as Bish was doing with Alphonse, whispering to him to stop and calm down. The gesture was enough to distract Edward from his current bitch-fit and allowed for the two brothers to take a breather. It was better than nothing, Bish thought as she led Alphonse away to kill the non-existent spider.

"Geez, Al, you could've done worse. You could've picked up some tramp from Tortuga. But you're not too far off, anyway."

Alphonse's back stiffened like a board. Lupin looked at Edward in disgust and anger, fists quivering in rage. She looked ready to hit him, but she missed her chance when something flew at Edward's face. She backed away in shock, realizing within a split second, it had been Alphonse. Bish stood by, staring in complete shock at Alphonse. Edward flown backwards a few steps, stumbling, before he regained it and held his slugged cheek.

Alphonse stood there, glaring at his brother, breathing heavily.

"Don't you dare," he hissed in a low voice. "You have _no_ right, brother."

"Al, it's...it's okay-," Bish replied in a small voice. He turned to look at her, his face having slightly softened. When he turned, Edward made to move. Lupin quickly responded and intervened once more, having quickly stepped between the two brothers.

"Stop, just stop. Get out of here," Lupin had quietly to him. He looked torn between staying and continuing the argument, which had escalated beyond verbal via Alphonse's response, and leaving. One glance over her shoulder told Lupin that Alphonse was still rigid and his face had simply emanated pure anger. Bish watched, that faint tinge of shock on her face still present. Lupin turned back, and moved forward, physically pushing Edward away.

"Get out, just get the fuck out of here, right now. Before I hit you myself. Get out." She finally hissed at him, showing Edward that his brother had not the only anger towards him. Edward stared at her, looking almost...ashamed, but he had turned away finally, muttering under his breath, and left in a huff. Lupin watched him leave, still feeling angry at him for his words.

Bish stood by, watching, before she stepped forward, placing a hand on Alphonse's shoulder. He relaxed greatly, turning to face her, looking weary. He given his fist one glance before shaking his head, and allowed himself to be willingly led away, while Bish spoke quietly to him, trying to soothe. Lupin only stood there, still taking in what had just happened, still reeling. She stared out around her, feeling alone and unsure of herself. She closed her eyes, wondering once again where had everything gone wrong and why.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Treacherous, perverted, disgusting leech! _

If people had tails, Lupin's would be curled nice and finely between her legs out of embarrassment, but instead of showing it, she held her head high. Even if she had to strip besides Elizabeth of her pants and shirt to show that neither of them had any other hidden weapons on them. Striping to her skivvies for a doctor was one thing, but that had been ridiculous. At least she had her underwear and a bra...and a loosely tied corset to cover her for the most part. And she refused to take any of that off. It was all skin-tight...even if it was hiding her favored knife from them all.

_Nothing to hide there, boys. Nothing to show. Shit, guess I am showing treachery. Oh well. And where the _hell_ did she hide that huge ass motherfucker anyways? _

That question was still unanswered to Lupin's mind about the very large pistol that could have fooled anyone that it was a damned cannon instead.

But, aside from all that...they were in. The bathhouse was hot and muggy, steam porous and drifting from everywhere. Bodies were everywhere. The only females there were those who were serving the men who came to relax in the bathhouse. Some didn't look too happy about being there.

Elizabeth glanced around, feeling the cool hand of nervousness grip at her and she knew it must have shown in her eyes and her face. Lupin walked beside her, shoulder to shoulder and she spared a glance at the smaller young woman. Lupin caught her eye, and gave the briefest smile. It encouraged Elizabeth slightly and she gave her a smile back before returning her eyes forward, following Barbossa.

And then they were there. The steam of the bathhouse itself seemed to part ways, up until that moment hiding the robed figure of Captain Sao Feng. He turned slowly, his twin assistants in black moving away from him as he did so. Barbossa made a grandeur, if slightly exaggerated, show of respect as he bowed at the waist. He motioned for Elizabeth and Lupin to follow his example. Lupin hesitated a moment after Elizabeth did so, glancing at Sao Feng before she fell into a bow as well.

Sao Feng kept his gaze rested on Barbossa, chin high and his posture regal and entitled.

"Captain Barbossa," he addressed, as the trio rose from their bowed positions. "Welcome to Singapore."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Above, the meeting was underway. They could hear the muffled voices of Elizabeth, Barbossa, a clipped reply or two from Lupin, and a fourth voice whom they come to find out quickly as Sao Feng. Down below, they had worked quickly to disengage the bowel workers that made the bathhouse function properly. They had all been dispatched of quickly and thoroughly, so as to not renege upon an uprising. Alphonse could hear them clearly enough, and he was sure the others could hear as well, but they remained focused on their jobs at hand. He returned to his as well, hands working quickly, but his mind racing even faster.

He remembered Gibbs's words. He hoped things would not go sourly. But he also knew that if they did, him and the others would hopefully be able to turn things around. He almost became alarmed at a strangled yelp from someone above and he froze, then hearing Sao Feng shouting, "_That he would get caught?_

Then the man's voice became low and surly. Alphonse felt a sour taste in his mouth, realizing that the worst had happened: Will or Edward had gotten caught. He spat a low curse, his brow knit up before he pivoted away and back to what he was doing, trying to force himself to work again. _It can't be Edward. It can't, he's... _

Alphonse swallowed, feeling a sour taste in his mouth, worry creating knots in his stomach. The torn feelings he had about his brother continued to whir inside his mind. He worried for his brother, and yet he still held that fight he had with Edward firmly in mind. The worry for his brother finally won over, and he wished that fight had never occurred. A few moments later, Sao Feng snapped once again. "More steam!

Plates rattled and Alphonse snapped his head at the sound. Cotton was the closest and the old man gave Al a glance. He jerked his head towards the levers. "Go on! Pull it!

The old man nodded and yanked as Alphonse turned away, following Gibbs and the others.

The cache of weapons was unfurled as the meeting above continued. "Wait for the signal," Gibbs hissed to them. Alphonse procured a pistol for himself, tucking it away in his sash, close to the hilt of his cutlass. Above he could hear Elizabeth's indignant voice rise, and a sudden chill came over him as he listened to the conversation above for once. And then Lupin's voice cut in quickly right after her.

"You can't just sit here and wait for Beckett to wipe y'all out, because he will when he finds you. Take the goddamned fight to him, for fuck's sake!"

Ah, diplomacy... He could tell tact wasn't really in the young woman's vocabulary, unlike Elizabeth's words seemed to have. Al only hoped Lupin would not get hurt for her...choice of words. Instead, it continued, the meeting. He could barely contain a sigh of relief. He could remember how opposed his brother had been to either of the women going to the meeting, and he knew it to be more so in Lupin's case. He could see how much he cared for the young woman, even if his older brother would never say anything aloud. It was in his eyes.

"_Keep an eye on her for me, Al. Make sure she doesn't do anything too stupid._"

_Not much I can do down here except hope, brother. _Al thought morosely. _For the moment being, that is. _

A loud clatter from above forced him out of his thoughts and he looked above. A shadow passed above and he caught a glimpse of who it was.

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight. He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So we must go and get it back."

"So...you admit that you have deceived me." A split second pause from above. Then, "_Weapons!_

Alphonse snapped to when Gibbs parroted Sao Feng's order for weapons. Two rose above as he placed himself beneath, surprisingly, Lupin's shadowed form. He couldn't help but think of the strict hypocrisy of Barbossa's words as he tossed both cutlasses into the air and into Lupin's hands above.

"Drop your weapons, or I kill the man!"

Al felt his stomach churn and for a split second, he believed Sao Feng was threatening Will...or Edward.

"Kill him, he's not our man," Barbossa replied above.

And then Will's voice came drifting, making Alphonse settle. His brother was not there...

"If he's not with you, and he's not with us...who's he with?"

Alphonse, as everyone else, came to realize too little, too late what was to come as soldiers from the Company came bursting through the bathhouse, charging down everyone in their path.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_**Habeus Corpus**_**: A writ, or a legal action in which a person can seek relief from unlawful detention, or the relief of another person. In Layman's terms, it protects people from the law or having harm come unto them. Because the King of England could willfully take this right away from people, pirates didn't really stand much of a chance against people who hunted them down. **

**Phew! Sorry it took so long. I dunno why, but for some reason, the beginning of movies always cockblock me from writing. I mean, some parts of the movie tend to do that, but not as horrendously as the beginning. Again, I apologize for taking so long, and I thank my lucky stars (what little luck I have to thank of, actually lol) that Bishie-kins was kind enough to write up that filler chapter for y'all, and I rather enjoyed it myself. But, I'll try to get myself back on schedule now. **

**Action to be had in the next chapter, guaranteed! **

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are **_**delicious**_**. ;3**


	62. Action

**Action**

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_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all (c)****to their respective owners, I don't****own them. **

**Yeah, I'm a lazy-ass motherfucker. What're ya gonna do about it, eh? Heh. That's what I thought.**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.  
_**- Andrew Jackson**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It had taken him too long to get back. He had used all his wits and smarts to return to Singapore undetected, which was no easy feat. He was not sure whom he could trust, aside from a few people. He vaguely remembered the way to the hide out, but it was taking him a long detour to find it. Avoiding the Englishmen had been surprisingly easy. Their squads were smaller and more disjointed, and he immediately became suspicious. There were still men who tromped through the rickety bridges, calling off to move lively, keep their formation, align to the right and all that...but too few. Much too few, compared to the amount that had arrived into Singapore the same day they had.

He was still opposed to the idea of confronting this Sao Feng character. He had his reasons for having a full blown distrust of Barbossa, and any other pirate he came across. They spoke of honor, but it was their own twisted and warped sense of honor that only pirates such as Jack or Barbossa seemed to understand. And he especially didn't want Lupin to be there, when their good "Captain" went to go see the man. What would happen if the rest of the crew failed to help them, if they were in a pinch? Would Sao Feng's crew be there, ready to slice throats?

He pushed the imagery away, suddenly sick at the thought. He didn't like that his brother was there as well, put in a risky situation. He was still mad as hell at his brother, but that anger had slowly began to quell the longer he went without speaking for long periods of time with his younger sibling. But Alphonse was still his brother, and he loved him. He wanted to be sure that his brother was safe, that their plan would go flawlessly, but he doubted it. Nothing was ever that perfect.

Edward was slipping further into Singapore, as quickly and as silently as he could, using the darkness to his advantage whenever he could. He may have lost the men that had captured Will a long time ago, but now he had to worry about the Company that wouldn't quit their relentless search. He was vaguely reminded of when he and his brother had been labeled as enemies of Amestris, all those years when he was only sixteen. Now he's found himself in the same predicament, but he supposed that traveling with a bunch of blood-thirsty pirates would have that consequence attached to the deal...

Swiftly, he crossed another rickety, tiny bridge. He was still far off from where everyone had convened days ago. He had to take his time, even if he had a strong gut feeling that there wasn't much time left to waste.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The chaos ensued and consumed the bathhouse within seconds. The Company had surrounded and ambushed all of those inside Sao Feng's hideout. Quickly Sao Feng's men leaped from their bath waters, swords gleaming. Muskets fired and men fell quickly for those who were in close range. They spilled from every entrance to the bathhouse; they must have had it surrounded not shortly after the meeting had started.

Barbossa, Elizabeth and Lupin leaped into the fray as well, pushing back against their assailants. Will joined the fight, having used a striking cutlass as his means of escaping his bonds. Elizabeth tossed him another cutlass with a cry of his name and together they turned to face their opponents. The twin assistants to Sao Feng fought together, a terribly deadly duo as they seemed to almost dance instead of fight. The sea of men parted, and Mercer in all his menacing glory stepped through. He aimed a pistol, aimed for Elizabeth. She saw the weapon and froze, shocked and in fear. Someone pushed her out of the way, yanking her to safety. The round was fired, and it found itself in one of the twin's heads instead. Her sister caught the limp body. Grief and anger at her murderer swept through the woman and she vowed to kill the craggy faced man.

Below the fight in the bathhouse, explosives were being lit afire. Marty, the last to light the fuses, ran to safety with the rest of the crew. The bombs would go off in several seconds. Directly above, a squadron of soldiers had aligned themselves in a firing line, muskets at the ready, and their commander shouting orders. Two pirate captains, and three crew members lined up opposite the men.

On the word, "Fire," the explosives set below went off, almost as if the whole scene had been choreographed beforehand. The wooden floor caved in and fell out from beneath the Englishmen. A few muskets went off, but all were misses, shooting off into safe space.

Sao Feng cried out. The fight had been taken outside, men leaping out the front doors, breaking through the sea of bodies. Innocents outside in their market scattered with screams of confusion and fear. In the bathhouse, the _Black Pearl_'s crew began to emerge into the fight, adding to the fray of the battle. Alphonse broke through, cutlass in hand. He had never liked guns, and preferred not use one. Neither did he like cutlasses, but if he had a weapon of choice, it would be a sword.

Out onto the streets they went, splitting their separate ways. They soon lost sight of Sao Feng, and Barbossa. Elizabeth, Will and Lupin were together for another thirty seconds longer than the rest, before they too took to their own paths, slicing their way through the prim and proper Englishmen. Some of the townspeople were not as they seemed; some had hidden swords and other concealed weapons, ready to defend their rickety city against the English invaders.

A squadron of men took to an open area, and quickly assembled into their formation, took to their commander's order, and fired upon any who was in their line of fire. Unbeknownst to them, Tia Dalma had set her trap, and after leaving her calliope music playing cart untended, the music came to a slower crawl. As the men finished their reload of lead rounds and gunpowder, they crouched when ready. Their commander in his regal, yet equally pompous looking outfit began shouting his commands.

Irony, and even fate, seemed to be on the pirates' side that day. For the second time, on the word, "Fire," a bomb went off, shoving forward, and thus effectively disrupting the line of fire of another squadron of soldiers. Tia Dalma, from her little hiding hole, smiled in satisfaction before she dipped back down and moved slowly to slip away from the scene unnoticed.

And this was only the beginning of the chaos that would ensue that night.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The Company were attacking. Her shot was good. She squeezed the trigger, holding steady, and letting out a shaky breath when another victim fell for the last time. Bishquet felt her heart racing, her pulse pounding. Her anxiety rose, but she kept it, and her rising nausea, down as she paused and took a long drink of a bottle of rum beside her. Gibbs had left it for her, almost hesitant on leaving, saying it would, "Calm her nerves." It did help, but only slightly. She rose up and shot, lowered back down, and began reloading. The large pouch of gunpowder in her hands shook, and she almost dropped it all on the floor.

A shout behind her. She turned and found one of Mercer's men donned in blue and gold in the room, readying his musket. She panicked and turned, fired without thinking, and pivoted again as the body dropped behind her, twitching. She could barely hear the gurgle of blood in the man's throat as he lay dying while she reloaded once more. The finally man lay still and quiet, but she took no notice. Bishquet got back up, took careful aim as she was taught, and fired at one of the men wearing a more regal looking blue coat, she labeled him as a squad or group leader of sorts. She ducked as the men fired, on their commander's order.

She took another drink. _This is it,_ she realized. _The last stand in Singapore before we all leave. _

Bish didn't want to think of all the people, innocent and pirates alike, that would die among the Company's assault.

_We're up against one of the most powerful nations of this time. What were we thinking?_

Shoot. Drop down. Reload. Back up. Aim. Shoot.

Repetition and muscle memory kicked in. A year ago, if someone were to tell her that she would be shooting British men with an eighteenth century pistol, she'd probably have laughed at them and called them stupid. But now that she was here, she would probably have called them a seer, and an accurate one at that.

She shot down another. There weren't many rounds, she had to keep reloading, and she was sure that not everything that hit was a kill shot; she was sure she hit some vital places or disarmed some of them. But not all were kills. It gave her some relief, but not much. It was good enough, though, for her. All she had to do was keep it up...and live through this night.

What she didn't notice, in her frantic firing and reloading frenzy, was another man had followed the first. He was quieter and smarter than his comrade, and sneaked in without notice. He kept his musket at the ready, but paused almost in horror when a loud creak beneath his boot gave him away. His heart hammered when Bish turned around with a gasp. His surprise and fear washed away with resolution when he saw the muzzle of another weapon turned towards him. He shouted out and fired at the same time as the Bishquet. She dodged just in time as the lead bullet buried itself in the wall she had been pressed up against seconds ago. Her mark, however, made a hit in his side. Unfortunately, it had missed vital organs, and went through on the other side, leaving him well enough alive, but bleeding and in fiery pain.

His pain, however, was ignored as he tossed aside his weapon and made for his sword. Bishquet, while not as good as fighting with a sword as the crew, she still had one for practical purposes. He gave a roar as he lunged forward, blood seeping, adrenaline and endorphins pumping. Bishquet dodged again with a yelp, her pistol also abandoned in the fray. He slashed, and she blocked, feeling her arm jar and shake terribly.

She managed to dodge and block, strike a few times, but her opponent was strong. She was in big trouble. She couldn't endure much more pain from her opponent anymore. He twisted his weapon and they became entangled in a twist and turn game. She pushed against him, and surprisingly, she had somehow managed to knock his weapon aside, hearing it skid across the room and smack into a wall. He watched in disbelief with bulging eyes, also in shock.

It didn't last. He lunged, bare-handed and weaponless towards her. She made a reach for a pistol that wasn't there, fear taking over and he knocked her to the ground. She made an attempt to smack at him with her sword, but he pinned her wrist down and slammed it onto the floor several times, straddling her. After the third painful knock, her sword clattered away. She fought hard, scratching at his face. He didn't expect a violent retaliation. And to be honest, no one liked having nails rake across their face, it hurt like fucking hell.

He rolled off of her, more in shock than in pain and she kicked at him, as hard as she could. That was worse than the scratches. She had to get away. The fight-or-flight reaction was kicking and leaning more towards flight. _Get out,_ her instincts were telling her. _Get the _fuck_ out of there._

She made for the door, flinging herself away from her assailant. She was almost out of the door, and she could hear the chaos outside. The ring of pistols firing, the clashing of swords, and the screams of the dying and the fleeing innocents...

She was so close to freedom, mere fleeting steps away before she was shoved away from the door with the force of a body slamming into her. She smashed into a wall, pinned against it and the body of the blue-coated man. He snarled angrily. Bish scrabbled at the wall, desperate to stay upright as the man yanked himself away, and before her dazed head could make a comprehensive string of what had happened, he had pulled her away with the wall she had clutched at.

She made another attempt for the door, dizzied and desperate. He kicked her away with a sharp boot and pain flashed across her eyes, her vision in black spots. She tasted blood in her mouth, and she spat the coppery taste out. She raised her eyes up, searching frantically for her pistol and found it across the room, past the soldier. The door was just to his left. And in the doorway, Edward Elric was standing there, looking just as furious, if not more so, than the soldier that was charging at her again.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Mercer tossed the knife in his shoulder to the ground with an angry clatter, the wound stinging. He had just finished off the remaining twin, a bullet hole placed neatly in the center of her skull, fitting that both twins ended that way. Her lifeless eyes stared glassily up at the ceiling as he walked away with a purpose. And then he shifted down at the sound of two voices-familiar.

His pistol at the ready, he prepared to take out two more threats to the Company-the infamous Captain Sao Feng, and that troublesome William Turner. But he hesitated, listening to the proposal young William was offering Sao Feng.

"If you want to make a deal with Beckett, you need what I offer," Will said in a low voice. All around them, the battle ensued, unknown to the shady dealings that was happening at that moment. Only Mercer knew, aside from the dealer and the man he was offering the deal to.

A little further away from where the dealings were being held, Jack the Monkey was making his devious move. Not too far off from him, was Mr. Cotton's parrot, watching the proceedings with wide yellowed eyes. Jack grabbed a rather large firecracker rocket and settled it just right before setting its tail aflame. It sputtered to life and took off. Down on another bridge parallel to the animals' bridge, Barbossa was slashing his opponent away. The same rocket that Jack had lit flew its way between Barbossa and his opponent.

Distracted, the Company man did not foresee his pirate attacker to stab him through. Barbossa had seized his chance as the rocket imbedded itself inside a large storage room filled to the brim with even more rockets. The explosion was spectacular, spitting up sparks and embers into the air with sharp whistles. Many had stopped to watch the explosion is shock and awe. It was another mistake several men who were employed by the Company had made. One of them had been Lupin's opponent.

She sliced him away and turned to find herself at the hands of another opponent. A few blocks and footwork here and there and she found another body slain at her feet. Elizabeth was faring no better, a few market stalls and a rickety wooden bridge away. Her endurance was well endowed揺aving a sparing partner in either Lupin, Alphonse, and the other crew members had been invaluable to her. Her thoughts only had a few seconds to take a sad turning point when she thought of who it had been that had taught her how to handle a sword in the first place. Then her mind was back on the battlefield as she found herself engaged with another opponent before she swiftly gained the upper hand and was off again, in search of familiar faces.

Alphonse was in a similar position and after having the bad luck of engaging with three opponents at once, he disengaged them quickly, but not without obtaining a few scratches of his own. Otherwise, he was all right. He was alone, and he noticed how very little men there were left. He began his search for the others when a sharp cracking noise went off. Something whizzed right past him and he pivoted sharply on his heel, hand gripping his sword tighter than necessary. Another man was engaging him, this time with a musket. Without even thinking, he charged, and took his opponent down, before he could even draw his sword. When the man flopped onto the ground, Alphonse turned, his stomach clenching uncomfortably as he began his prowl for the others. He ran into Elizabeth and the two of them wordlessly started off.

They found them soon, meeting at a crossroads of sorts. Barbossa and Will were already there, and behind Will was a troupe of men. The explosion that had gone off earlier had cut off many routes to where there were, and not many men were left over on this side of the city, merely stragglers. Elizabeth and Alphonse saw no Sao Feng, and Elizabeth asked where he was. Lupin sifted her way over, settling besides Gibbs and the other men as she asked this, her lips drawn in a tight line. She pinned Will with a sharp gaze.

"I'm going to get Bishquet.

He nodded. "Go, and be quick about it. We'll leave you behind if you don't."

"If you do, and we have to swim to get to y'all, your ass is mine to kick,Lupin hissed back with a glare. She slipped away, Alphonse staring after her, faltering. He wanted to follow after her, but he realized that the less people there were traveling around the already precarious situation that was ensuing inside the city, the better. He reluctantly trailed after the rest of the crew, mixed of the _Black Pearl_ and Sao Feng's men, regret tearing at him for having left Bish by herself in the first place. If he had had any say so in the plan, he would have stayed with her.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He tore at the man, knocking him over with such force, it even made Bish squeak in surprise. Edward landed a hard punch with his metal fist, square in the man's jaw. From the resounding, yet oddly satisfying crack, Bish guessed it was most likely broken. The man wailed and rolled away from the savage blonde-haired man, with his piercing eyes and metallic limbs. He blocked the other's way to Bish, but what he failed to notice was that he had given his opponent a clear path to his musket. He made a dive for it and Edward snapped into action.

He barley missed the man as he clumsily rolled away, his hands shaking as he tried to reload it on the move. Bish made for her sword, crawling on battered hands and knees, vision still blurred.

"Get back here!" Ed snarled at his opponent.

"Damned pirate, you rot in hell!"

He stumbled his way quickly out the tattered doorway, the musket's muzzle dropping, gunpowder crumbling down-and then there was the sound of a gunshot. Edward suddenly stopped moving. Bishquet scrambled to her feet, heart pounding from the very sound, eyes wide, having missed what happened. Her sword was in hand, her arms trembling from adrenaline and exertion of energy. She panted heavily, mouth cotton dry, except for that faint taste of blood in her mouth.

"Edward?" She whispered, eyes darting between him and the doorway. She could see the soldier's boots. A smoking muzzle pushed its way back in, and the hatted man stepped through, his eyes gleaming. Edward was holding his fleshy shoulder, and when he pulled his metal hand away, she saw the red. He took a step forward, and his brows creased in anger. The shock wore off, and while the pain hurt like fucking hell...he's had worse. Much worse.

"Now, you can both just rot in hell, you bloody-," Edward's opponent didn't get to finish.

A second gunshot had gone off, somewhere behind Edward. He winced at the sound, not able to help it. The British soldier blinked several times, before his musket clattered to the wooden floor. He followed suite, collapsing to his knees and to the floor besides his weapon. Edward turned, wincing at his wound, finding a panting, worn out and a little worse for the wear Bishquet. Her pistol was held rigidly in front of her, the muzzle still smoking slightly, her brow creased and eyes sharp. How she had gotten her other weapon so fast, he didn't know.

"Stupid fucker," she hissed, glaring at the dead body. Her eyes turned upwards towards the one-again shocked Edward. Worry momentarily gripped her, and her eyes searched over Edward, looking over where his wound was. It was the shoulder, and while it was bleeding, she realized it wasn't in any place vital. Then her lips puckered as she lowered the weapon.

"Dammit, Ed, why'd you have to get shot? Now people are gonna think my marksmanship is bad and that _I _shot you!"

He blinked in surprise at her comment, taken aback by her lacking regards towards the situation. He just got shot! The least she could've done was ask if he was fine. But instead of dwelling on it, he moved towards her and offered his hand. She eyed for a moment, before frowning.

"You're the one who needs the help more than me." She said quietly, picking herself up. He withdrew his hand, hesitantly. He clenched his jaw as another wave of pain washed over him, but again, he knew his body had suffered much worse than this. It still didn't mean that the pain didn't hurt at all. Bish moved around the little hut quickly, gathering her sword up and replacing it in its sheath, shoving her pistol back into her sash and gathering what remaining rounds and gunpowder she had left.

She and Edward froze at the sound of boots tromping heavily on the boardwalk outside the hut. Edward moved just beside the doorway, crouching and motioning for Bish to move from sight as well. The tattered clothe door was pushed aside and Bish recognized the decorated wrist before Edward did-he went into action before Bish could warn him. He snagged up Lupin's small form in a headlock with his metal arm and she let out a strangled yelp, scrabbling at the metal appendage in shock.

"Leggo!" She managed to squeak out, an elbow accidentally connecting against his abdomen. The blow didn't hurt so much as the resounding vibrations that traveled up to his injured limb. He released out of a jerk reaction. Lupin coughed several times before being tackled into a tight hug by her friend. Lupin returned the hug, before turning towards Edward when they broke, wanting to give him a piece of her mind for what he did. Her words, however, died on her lips when she saw him holding his shoulder. She swallowed thickly when she saw the blood.

"Ed, you're h-,"

"Don't worry about it, I've had worse."

"So you say,she muttered in return, looking unconvinced. She paused before she began undoing her sash. He watched for a moment before realizing what she was doing. He waited until she had it undone before allowing her to tie it around his wound. She wasn't gentle. He clenched his jaw almost as tightly as the young woman was tying the sash. He did not release tension, even when she had finished.

"You're not fine," Lupin frowned at him. Ed opened his eyes, not realizing he had squeezed them shut. Bish swallowed, listening to the chaos outside for the first time in a long while. She turned to Lupin.

"As much as I'd like to continue this conversation, we gotta get going. It sounds like it's getting pretty bad out there. And I really don't want to be here when the big shit hits the fan."

"She's...she's right. We'll get left behind if we don't hurry up." Lupin agreed with reluctance. She eyed the sash she had tied around Edward's shoulder, her brows knit together worriedly. It didn't go unnoticed and he put his metal hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"I'll be fine. We can worry about this when we get to safety, all right?"

She still didn't look all that convinced, but she finally nodded in agreement and turned, ready to lead them to the docks. "Come on. We don't have much time. And if Will does dare leave us, I promised to kick his ass."

Bish grinned. "That's my Loopy. I knew I taught you well."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They ship was just leaving when they arrived at the bedraggled docks. It was Ragetti who spotted them first and he shouted the arrival of the three. 滴urry up, come on, run fo' it!"

Edward put on another burst of speed, urging the other two to hurry as well. His shoulder burned and he would have liked nothing more than to stop and sit down, and perhaps numb it away with ice and freezing cold water. Instead, he was pushing his body to its limits, perhaps past, but he kept telling himself it was almost over. He could rest, and have someone look over his shoulder.

"Almost there, keep going!Almost, the ship was almost gone as well. The dock was disappearing fast. Then, "Jump!"

He went first, and slammed against the gunwale. Unbelievable pain, waves of white-hot fire, flashed across his eyes and he almost let go of the railing. Hands, however, quickly yanked him back and kept him from falling. He heard his brother faintly calling to him, yelling his name. The gunwale shuddered heavily beside him, and he heard grunts and groans, both from the crew and the girls that had jumped beside him. He let out a groan of his own his wound even more agitated and fiery hot now that he was moving his appendage when he shouldn't be. He didn't know getting shot would hurt so damned much, it was actually...fascinating, in a morbid, twisted sense. He just hoped that there wouldn't be any permanent damage. That would really piss him off that this had happened and he had the gotten the drop on him by some..._kid_ with a gun.

When he finally managed to pry his eyes open, he saw his brother's face, dirtied and bruised, and there was a nasty cut on his cheek. His face was no longer round with such boyish charm. The baby fat had been trimmed from Alphonse's face, he strangely noted. Even stranger, he wondered what he looked like. He hadn't looked in a mirror in the longest of time. But odd thoughts aside, the pain proceeded to bite back and he heard quick, sharp bursts of Mandarin and echoing English orders. He heard Bish shouting as well, for alcohol and clean rags that needed to be boiled. Action snapped to, and he remembered others trying to lift him to his feet, carry him, but he wouldn't allow it. Edward stood of his own volition, and although feeling light-headed and dizzy, and wobbly in his feet, he managed.

Lupin and Bishquet, while they protested a few times, alongside his brother's more persistent comments that he needed to sit down and not move so fast, that he was still bleeding. Edward, more out of stubbornness than anything, had ignored the protests, and asked where they wanted him. He eyed the ship; it was small, several times smaller than the _Black Pearl_ or the _Observer_. The sails were different as well, and the rigging itself seemed to be almost none existent. He caught a glimpse of Tia Dalma, Elizabeth and Mr. Cotton. Barbossa was at the helm, with a Singaporean man, speaking in low voices. He saw other strange faces he did not have names for.

The two women and his brother had led him away, towards a squared hole where the grate had been pushed back. He was suddenly below decks, it was very cramped and it was much darker than outside, and then there was light. Bish was there, and then Lupin as well. She began untying the sash, and he bit back another moan of pain-an immediate reaction he did whenever his body was under this much pain and stress. The blood that had dried up had stuck stubbornly to the wound, making it sensitive and feverishly hot. They sat him down and his mind was somewhat more relaxed, knowing for now they were safe, but the pain made him tenser than usual.

"Stop being such a tough guy...you're stressing your body out more. And your mind," a voice chastised him. Lupin. "Just...stop trying to hold it in, okay? You're hurting more that way..."

The sash was finally peeled away, and the pungent, coppery scent of flaking and fresh blood assailed his senses. He forgot how strong it could get.

"Gotta take his shirt off to get to the hole in his shoulder...unless you feel like ripping it off..." Bish said, and what he had failed to notice in his current state but wouldn't have missed in any other given condition, was the suggestive tone Bish had given Lupin. She was joking, of course, but if he had known, he probably would've snapped at her angrily for the comment. More out of embarrassment, really...

How they had taken his shirt off, he couldn't remember, but when they had finally stripped him of it, he noticed the hisses and peeped an eye open, glancing at his shoulder. It wasn't as bad as he originally thought, but he didn't like the looks of it. _Another scar to add to the collection,_ he thought scornfully.

_Shouldn't have let that guy get the gun. Dammit, that was my mistake. One I won't make again..._ Edward promised himself.

Hot rags were laid across the wound, front and back, and he hissed in surprise, jaw clenched and muscles tensed up once again. Another cooler rag was placed on his brow, and then he was given cool water to drink. He opened his eyes and noticed Lupin immediately in front of him with the glass bottle with fresh water, Bish helping on his shoulder, with another man he didn't recognize. Alphonse was no longer there, and he wondered where his brother had gone. The man helping with Bishquet was speaking in the language he's heard all over Singapore, Mandarin.

Bish shushed and snapped at him, "I only speak English and Spanish, so choose one or the other, motherfucker. I don't speak Chinese."

"Mandarin," Lupin corrected offhandedly.

"Whatever!" Bish sighed as she and the Singaporean man began finishing dressing his wound.

The man noticed him looking and gave him a huff. "Your shoulder had been shot clean through. Very lucky. Another few inches down, and you wouldn't be sitting here, breathing at all." He smiled thinly, as if there was humor in the comment at all. Edward grunted.

"Almost done. You're lucky you didn't need stitches, because these assholes don't have any needles."

_Extremely lucky, _Edward thought with a shudder. He _hated_ needles. The man cursed under his breath and spoke in clipped Mandarin, glaring at the Hispanic woman. Bish ignored him. "Don't get mad at me just because you're short-stocked on supplies. Better hope no one needs those stitches in the future or you'll probably have a dead guy on our hands if we do."

He cursed again before he took his leave, muttering lowly in his native tongue. Bish rolled her eyes, and Lupin frowned, watching him go. In the Singaporean man's leaving wake, Alphonse took his place. He saw his brother watching and smiled at him. Now that Edward was getting a better perspective, he saw that Al hadn't gotten through the fight in Singapore unscathed. He too had suffered his own wounds, one of them being on his arm, and wrapped in bandages. He could see the injuries that the others had sustained, and was glad that they were better off than he was-at least they wouldn't be put out of commission for as long as he would most likely be. The very thought made him restless and fidgety already.

"You're looking better."

"How long have I been down here?"

"A little over an hour. They had to stop the bleeding."

He blinked in surprise. It had been an hour already? He didn't think he'd down there that long... Then again, he was only half-listening to the conversations that had been going on, and he didn't remember everything. Maybe he had blacked out a few times without realizing it...

Alphonse hesitated and Lupin moved aside, allowing him to sit beside Edward. He did so, and Lupin paused before she got up, believing that she had done all she could. Bishquet finished tying off the last of the bandages, nodded in approval and gave Edward a meaningful look. He turned to gaze at her and she smiled at him a little.

"Hey...thanks for, um...for helping me. Ya big midget."

He flushed at the title, and felt what little anger he could muster at her, but it fizzled out as quickly as it had come. He simply sighed and nodded, waving his good hand at her. "Anytime...besides, Al would've killed me if I hadn't helped out...not that I wouldn't have, regardless," he added, after glancing his brother, who had given him a ticked brow and tightly drawn lips. The quietly simmering anger of Alphonse was not a wrath to invoke. Edward gave the woman a small grin. "You're welcome, Bishquet."

Her smile broadened a little and she turned to her friend, wrapped her arm around the younger woman's waist and led her away. Lupin stumbled a bit and looked back at Edward. He waved her off, a softer look on his face as he saw her retreat. She flushed a little, and was glad it was too dark for him to see. They left the brothers alone at last, allowing them to mend their damaged bridges. As the two women rose to the top deck Lupin looked at her friend.

"So...you forgive him?"

"I suppose, for now. He saved my ass, I owe him that much."

"You think Alphonse will forgive him?"

Bish smiled knowingly. "Yeah, I think he will. Stupid fights are nothin' compared to family love, I can tell you that much."

Lupin grinned, wrapping an around over Bish's shoulders. It faded, however, as they found themselves staring at the burning corpse that was once Singapore. Their smiles faltered and disappeared altogether.

"I don't think family love can fix that much damage," Lupin said quietly. Bish said nothing and merely stared at the burning homes. She could still hear shouts, although tinny, from the city. Her lips pursed together angrily and she glared at one of the Company's ship that had caught fire as well.

"I hope those fuckers burn and die," she muttered darkly. Lupin's jaw clenched together as well, brows knit and she only nodded in agreement, noting where her friend was glaring at.

They both knew that tonight was only the beginning of things to come.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**I finally managed to get my lazy ass into gear. Bishie-kins has really kicked my ass around getting this done, so she's pretty proud I got a huge chunk of this finished in a few days' time. I am too, for that matter. :3 **

**I'm so glad Bishie is my editor; she really helps me stay in line with the characters and the story outside of the movie's plot, of course. Thank you, hun! Much love~ **

**Anyway, here's this chapter. **

**Reviews are yummy, but critiques are **_**delicious**_**. ;3**


	63. Mine

**Mine**

**Reviewers:**

**Bish**

**TheSilverbloodAlchemist**

**BIRDZILLA**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all (c)****to their respective owners, I don't****own them. **

**I'm sorry. The quote...I just had to. BILL'S ACCENT MELTS MY LOINS. There, I said it. YOU CAN ALL FREAKIN' SUCK MY NUTS. I love Bill's accent. **

**And for those who **_**don't**_** know who Bill is...be ashamed. Be very ashamed. And go watch **_**True Blood.**_** Seriously. Good series. Umph. **

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Sookie is _mine_.  
_**- Bill Compton, "**_**True Blood**_**"**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

His shoulder was healing. He was glad for it. He felt useless just sitting around on the junk, which he later found out was called the _Hai Peng_, and the men who normally crewed the ship would not have him working. Neither would Barbossa, for that matter, as he had officially assigned Edward on light duty, and was even given a sling to keep his arm stiff. No work for the given amount of time he had to heal up. It had a been a surprising, the words coming from the captain, but he suspected a certain Hispanic woman had a hand in the captain's order. He had seen the two arguing not that long ago, and Barbossa had finally jerked his head in affirmative nods, but he did not look all that happy about it. Neither did Bishquet, but she was marginally happier than the captain. Not long after, Barbossa had announced his light duty status to him.

And he hated being on light duty. He was restless, and he actually felt a jealous envy towards the men, wanting to work, to do _something_. He has always hated waiting around with doing nothing, even as a child. His brother, however, often sat with him. Even if there was work, there wasn't much of it to do on such a small ship. The brothers were often seen together, more often than they had in the past several weeks. Bish and Lupin often sat with them as well, and Lupin had gained a somewhat unofficial title of keeping an eye on Edward, often helping him out-even though he never asked for it-and helping Bish change the bandages on his shoulder. She never flinched at the ugly sight of the healing wound.

It was the second week since their escape from Singapore, to the day, and every four days, his bandages were changed out with cleanly boiled ones. Lupin would be by any given minute, and he would see her coming from any which way. He didn't have to worry. So, instead, he sat at the bow of the junk, Elizabeth sitting beside him. She was staring quietly out at the sea, the wind picking up and pushing her pale golden hair up and into her face. She brushed it back impatiently.

"So...what is it with you and Will?" He finally asked after a while. It wasn't really much of his business, but he was somewhat curious. She and Will were supposed to be this happy couple, weren't they? They didn't seem too happy with one another...or around one another, to be frank. He barely even saw them share any intimacy when he had seen them together. If anything...there was tension.

She looked at him in obvious surprise. Rarely, did the two of them interact, and it wasn't because they weren't on speaking terms, it was simply because they never spoke to one another very often or like this at all. She was thoroughly thrown off guard about the context of the question, and from whom it was asking. Edward watched her carefully, gauging her expression and reaction. She stared at him for several moments, and he wondered if she would ever answer. He then decided to pull back, realizing it might have been a more inappropriate question than he first thought.

"I...I'm not sure why you're asking me that," she answered rather quickly, before he opened his mouth to take back his words. She turned away, staring off into the horizon. "Besides, there's nothing wrong between us. Nothing at all."

He narrowed his eyes, unconvinced at her stumbling, and sharply answered reply. It was a rather...awkward moment after that. He thinned his lips, and he was wholly dissatisfied by the answer itself. There was something going on, and there was something wrong, but he didn't press the matter any further. He merely nodded at her. "All right, then. What about...how you came here."

She turned her head more slowly towards him, blinked and then gave a short laugh.

"Here? On this ship? Same as you, I suppose. Or do you mean, in the business of pirates?"

He grinned a little. "Pirates. Obviously."

She smiled wanly, but it was still there. "Three words. Captain Jack Sparrow."

He snorted. He knew that of course. Elizabeth smiled a little more. She looked prettier when she smiled, instead of sulking like she had been a few minutes ago. She was an attractive woman, and he could see why Will was interested in her. "Obviously," he repeated, matching her smile.

"He came to Port Royal, Jamaica almost a year ago. He wanted to commandeer a ship, so he could get the _Black Pearl _back from Barbossa." She looked towards said pirate, nodding in his direction. Edward followed her gaze. Barbossa's back was to them, and he was speaking to the crew. Jack the Monkey, however, was watching them and bared his little teeth at them. "They said the _Pearl_ was a cursed ship. It's the fastest in the world, and no ship, not even the fastest in the King's Navy could outrun it."

She continued her account. Her capture from Barbossa, her negotiations with the man, and then her becoming a prisoner. She said she hadn't believed in the ghost stories when he confronted her on it, and about Barbossa and his crew. "ot until I saw them in the moonlight, that is. Even his little monkey was cursed. He's still cursed, actually, isn't he?"

"He is," Edward replied sullenly. There were many things he knew that were being turned upside down and inside out. When he believed curses were not real, his first waking week after his rescue on the _Black Pearl_, he found that Jack the Monkey was not like all the other monkeys in the world. He was a skeletal, rotting thing when exposed to the moonlight. Hearing Elizabeth speaking of a cursed crew, he could only imagine how they must have looked like: rotting corpses, skeletal features more prominent, tattered clothing... It was a disturbing image to put on Barbossa, but it was a fitting one as well.

"Will came after me, with Jack. They made a deal, but Jack had his own ideas..." She muttered that bit a little darkly. "Isla de Muerta was where I was taken. And that was where the chest full of the gold was. Cortés was given gold coins in exchange of stopping anymore bloodshed between the Spanish and the Aztecs. He didn't stop, and a curse was put on the gold. Any who took even a single piece would be cursed. Barbossa's crew had taken the whole chest. They took ten years to collect it all up again."

Edward listened quietly, as she continued her story of how the last piece they needed was the one she had. When she had turned to look on the horizon again, he heard her mutter, "I saw the _Black Pearl_, with her tattered sheets and blackened hull, sailing away. We were lucky they hadn't spotted us when we rescued Will, or the both of us wouldn't be here at all..."

He had turned to look at Will further down the junk ship. A boy that had been found with a medallion that was largely associated with pirates. It was certainly a story. She continued, sparing him bits and pieces of how they had escaped the dreaded Isla de Muerta-at the price of leaving Jack behind. In hindsight, Edward didn't think it a terrible idea, he would have done the same. Then the terrifying chase that had ensued. Behind the _Black Pearl_, they had seen a sheet of fog following in her wake, gaining on them, faster and faster, even if their ship, the _Interceptor_, had had a good long lead ahead.

"We ended up fighting, trying to stand our ground, but fighting a horde of undead men can prove difficult. We lost...and Will showed up in time to account for a negotiations. It didn't end well. I was marooned on an island with Jack. I burned everything when he fell asleep, and we were rescued by Norrington." She frowned at this, and gave him a glance. Edward's eyes took on a hardened sheen to them. She looked away quickly at that. She had agreed to Norrington's marriage proposal, only if they could rescue Will. There was a battle that had ensued, both outside of Isla de Muerta, and inside the cave. She and Will battled several crew members, and Jack fought Barbossa. The only way that had happened, however, was Jack having took a piece of gold from the chest.

Edward blinked, surprised. Then he tried picturing Jack as an undead, skeletal thing. It was difficult to.

"We broke the curse...and in the aftermath, Jack shot Barbossa in the chest. The crew was taken into custody and we sailed for Port Royal. Not even a fort night later, we were all gathered for Jack's execution."

"That didn't happen, obviously," Edward drawled, leaning back against the gunwale. Elizabeth nodded.

"In the end, Jack escaped. Norrington gave him a day's head start. A bit of a mistake on his end, I'll admit. He never caught the _Black Pearl."_

"Well, he almost did." Elizabeth looked at him in astonishment. "In Tripoli, on the Mediterranean."

She pursed her lips, and took her eyes back to the horizon, looking thoughtful. "Almost doesn't cut it. Not with Jack. At least, not that time..."

He grunted in return. That seemed to be the truth, all right. He looked across the deck of the _Hai_ _Peng_. He saw no Lupin and he saw no Bishquet. There were several forms lying on mats with blankets covering them. There were shifts in who did what around the ship. Cooking, handling the rigging and sails, tending to the course of their journey. Those who were off their shift, slept where they could. The ship was small, and most of the space below was for their cargo, their supplies. Many chose to sleep top deck instead of squeezing in whatever crevice they could below. The women, however, had no issues with this. The less others there were, the better chance they had at a good spot. It was guaranteed privacy, almost to a T. At least Ed knew that the girls had some semblance of their own room to call their own. He was sure Bish was reveling in it.

A familiar voice cut into his thoughts and both he and Elizabeth turned at the sound. Lupin was climbing up the short stairway that led below decks, snarling down below. "Bish, I swear to God, if you don't stop making out with Alphonse, I'm gonna throw you overboard! Now get your ass up here!"

There was a grumbling below that he could barely hear, and then there was a shout back. Lupin sat down beside the gunwale, watching the grate. Bishquet soon emerged, and there was an exchange of words as Bishquet pointed at her friend. "You."

"Me. That's right."

"I'll get you. And you'll little dog too," Bish continued with a snarl.

"Good thing I don't have a dog here," Lupin replied breezily.

"Wait until we get home!" Bish muttered as she made her way to the small cabin. Lupin stopped mid-step and paused.

"Fuck!"

"That's what I thought!"

Edward chuckled before he spotted his brother's head pop up from the grate's opening, and he spoke quietly to Lupin. She sat down and his brother came up to level with her, and he watched as they quietly spoke. A scowl on Lupin's face, a complacent look on his brother's. Slowly, the scowl went away and Lupin finally nodded, looking placated and Alphonse looking satisfied and relieved. Beside him, Elizabeth laughed quietly and patted his metal hand.

"Looks like you're going to be having company soon. Thank you, for talking with me."

"I didn't do much of the talking, you did," he replied. She shook her head.

"Still...it was nice speaking with you. You're one of the few sane ones here. It's a relief." She smiled and left him be. He watched her go for a moment, before he saw a familiar bantering pair coming his way.

"Takin' so damned long, you whore." Lupin growled.

"Oh, shut up-and stop blowing on me!

"I'll blow on you all I like," Lupin grinned evilly.

Bish huffed. "That's what I said to Al last night. Whooo."

Lupin groaned. "Oh, God, I don't need to know that crap!"

"And neither do I," Ed chimed in. He gave them a hard stare and Bish shrugged, letting the conversation between herself and Lupin drop. Lupin plopped into the seat where Elizabeth had previously been and Bish snapped her fingers at Ed.

"Drop the shirt, and let's see that shoulder of yours."

Ed raised a brow at the implied comment and Bish smirked slightly. He finally nodded his head in consent and began to strip of his shirt, although it was slow going. It didn't take too long before Lupin began to slowly help him, pulling the sleeve that gave him the most trouble. His shoulder was healing, and the pain was less intense each day, but every time they changed bandages, his shoulder protested the extensive movement he performed. He was somewhat curious about the medicines that Lupin and Bish always complained they wished they could have. Painkillers would've been nice, Bish often mentioned.

His shirt was gone and the bandages were being unwound. He felt somewhat worried being exposed like this, especially with his automail. He trusted the men of the _Hai Peng_ even less than those of the_ Black Pearl_. At least he trusted Gibbs or Mr. Cotton not to be going around stealing his arm and leg for a shiny penny...not yet, at least.

He waited patiently until they finished and Bish stood back, checking visually with the bandages, tugged at a few places, and then nodded. She was satisfied that they'd hold, although she knew that Lupin would most likely check for her, just in case. Ed began to tug his shirt back on with the same graceless manner he had when he took it off. Lupin began to help him once again, being as careful as she could. Bish smiled a little at her friend and Edward caught the sight. He returned it and Bish shook her head, turning away. Alphonse was waiting for her, sitting on a barrel of dried rice, a patient look on his face.

When she approached, he gradually stood up and she took him a one-armed hug, and she breathed deep, closing her eyes. She could feel the end of this journey coming. Whether it was weeks or months away, she could feel it, and the reality of it gripped her as tightly as she was holding Alphonse. She didn't want this to end, not with him, anyways. She could certainly do without all the pirates and the sailing, and no bathing for months. She wanted to stay with him, in this moment, forget it all. A part of her wanted this place to cease to exist, but at the same time...the irony of it all had allowed them all to meet, had it not?

Alphonse pushed back her curly hair, brushing her cheek. He chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Are you alright?"

"Mm-hmm." Bish sighed quietly, nodding. "I'm fine. Just...relaxing."

She was certainly very content for the moment. Alphonse still smiled, and coaxed her over somewhere out of the way of others and where they could sit in peace. Neither of them were too disturbed by a singular voice shouting out something; someone almost always was. It wasn't until a form came pounding up towards the bow where Edward and Lupin had last been that either of them noticed the conflict that was only beginning.

Li Chen, one of Tai Huang's men, was speaking in a low, growling voice and a feminine and familiar voice was fighting with a female voice; judging by the tone of defensiveness, it could have only been Lupin by elimination.

"Back the fuck off, I ain't a part of your crew. I answer to Barbossa, you tight ass-,"

"Enough!" Li Chen growled back. Lupin sneered. She was tense and livid enough as it was. A hand was clutching at her cutlass's hilt, white-knuckled and nervous. She hesitated enough to keep this confrontation verbal, although Li Chen noticed her obvious body language.

"What good is a woman if she will not do as she is told on a ship?" Li Chen challenged with narrowed eyes. "You have been late all week, in making our meals. All to help heal a cripple! Useless!"

"He is not a cripple-,"

"And _he_ is right here!" Edward spat with a dangerous growl. Li Chen turned and faced him and though he was furious, he took a step back despite himself. The molten fire in Ed's eyes were enough to keep the others away, even if he was injured. He still had one limb left that he could punch with and it wasn't going to be put out of commission anytime soon. The men knew that much. Li Chen kept his distance, just out of arm's reach from Edward, but held his ground still, returning his pretentious glare towards Lupin.

Edward gave her shoulder another meaningful squeeze, and once more, she held herself at bay because of it. She forced down the urge to smash her fist into the man's face, as much as she'd like to. There were other ways to resolve this, she told herself. Without a word she swallowed her fury and allowed Ed to handle it. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched silently. Li Chen narrowed his almond shaped eyes and grunted.

"The woman is supposed to do the kitchen work and feed us. You're already half an hour late. Get in there, and feed us, then!"

"Look, I know in _your_ culture, women are property and ordered around by-,"

"Lupin."

Edward's voice was stern and calm, giving her a chance to fall quiet once more. His expression was one of a sarcastic and mocking. If he hadn't been there, she wasn't sure if she would continue to verbally fume at Li Chen, or if she'd physically assault him. Either one was appealing to her at the moment. Especially punching him in his smug face. Ed moved her a little, stepping in front of said loud-mouthed girl he had long realized he had mushy romantic feelings for that he would never admit to under pain of torture. Li Chen scowled angrily before moving towards Lupin, making a grab for her.

"Enough of this idle chatter, wench. You're to report to your appointed duty, or there will be more than just words with Captain Barbossa."

Edward snatched up Li Chen's wrist in a vice-like grip. Li Chen held back a strangled yell, eyes bulging at how quickly the injured young man had moved. Despite Edward's shorter stature, he was intimidating enough. His hand snaked behind him with a purpose and took to her forearm. With a jerk, he had Lupin standing against him looking lost for words.

"Don't you dare touch her, you pirate bastard." He hissed calmly. "She is mine, and you have no right to lay a hand on her."

A chill swept up and down Lupin's spine like electricity, making her heart flutter in her chest and her mouth go dry. And she wouldn't deny that she didn't like the feel of his hard muscles press against her back. At the same time, _mine?_ Since when did that happen? She needed to have a serious talk to him about possessive pronouns.

His fingers brushed up against the side of her breast and she shivered. She was pretty sure that sex with Ed would be ... fucking amazing.

"You got that? She is _my woman_."

The part of her that had furious crumbled away into nothing and a newer part of her mind was reveling in those words. She wished they could be true, but she realized this was all a dog and pony show-it was just for looks. Li Chen was still in Ed's grip, at his mercy and she knew that with a flick of that metal wrist, the older man's own would snap like a toothpick.

Thankfully, Edward finally released Li Chen's wrist and he snatched it back gingerly, cradling it. He backed away from the two of them, wary and cautious. Lupin happily returned the favor, secretly enjoy being wrapped in Ed's arm at the moment.

"If she is yours," Li Chen started slowly, building his courage. "Then I suggest you get your _whore_ to work. Or stick her at the bottom of the ship and out of the way."

He smiled condescendingly from his safe distance, however small it was away before turning on his heel and muttering what Lupin could only assume were a string of curses and the like at the two of them. She could only assume, though. Slowly, the arm that had wrapped itself around her waist seemingly of its own accord detached itself and there was a long sigh behind her, tickling her ear again.

Lupin twisted around and stared at Edward, unsure of what to say. _Thanks for claiming me like property? Thanks for saving my ass? _

Not that she would have admitted she needed help. They both knew she could have taken him down. It was only a question of whether it would be easy or difficult. It was a question that they always asked themselves whenever they engaged a new opponent, really. But, now they were gauging one another, and the silence deepened between the two of them.

"Not bad for a cripple," Lupin finally said jokingly. She smiled a little, but Ed didn't return the gesture. Her smile dropped and she huffed in anger. "What? You want a thank you? Thanks for helping. Will you stop glaring now?"

"You need to be careful around these people, they aren't-,"

"Stop lecturing me, stop trying to help me, stop trying to control me!" She hissed back furiously. This time the glare he had reserved for Li Chen was directed on her now. She faltered for only a moment.

"I am not trying to control you, Lupin...and you may think you don't want or need my help, but you do. I notice things you don't. Get used to it." He replied back, perching himself back against the gunwale, getting himself as comfortable as he could. Lupin clenched her fists, but her anger couldn't hold. She knew he was right. She wanted to be angry at him, but it she also knew it wouldn't hold for very long. She couldn't count how many times he's done things to save her ass from trouble. She was sure there were times he hadn't even told her he's done so, too.

The tension in her fists released and her shoulders dropped. Ed sighed again, and it sounded wearier.

"I'm not apologizing for what I did, you know. " He said quietly, watching her. Lupin lifted her gaze up at him for moment, before dropping it back down.

"Whatever. Do it again and I'll punch you shoulder and set your healing back a good week." Lupin grumbled childishly.

He laughed once. "Now why would you do something like that?" He looked at her sullen face and his humor dropped at once. He reached out and grabbed her hand, and she jumped a little at the contact, but didn't pull away. He rubbed her hand with his thumb gently and smiled at her. She only noticed then and there how tired and pale he really looked.

"Please just try to stay out of trouble, okay? You've got a big temper and you need to keep it in check. Barbossa's been lenient. We don't how lenient he'll be with a mixed crew like this and he could have a mutiny against him if something gets out of hand. Then where will that lead us?" He told her quietly and she sighed in agreement, knowing he was right.

A captain was only as powerful as his crew allowed him to be. If the crew didn't like what was going on, or how the management of the ship was going, they could very well just toss the captain overboard and elect a new captain from among their ranks. But, she also knew that Barbossa wouldn't allow that to happen. And if it ever did come to that point, which she doubted, the man was more than capable enough to stand his ground and fight back. He was a fierce fighter and one she would never be able to fight against and win. He was wily and full of trickery like a snake. She trusted him to fight fairly as much as she expected Jack to.

She said nothing of this, though. She only nodded in agreement. He smiled at her and then did something quite unexpected. He pulled her hand closer and inclined his head towards it, pressing his lips against her hand. She felt paralyzed at that moment, unsure of what to do, her lips stuck together like they had been glued shut. Several seconds passed, but it felt like hours. He gave her hand a quick squeeze and pulled away and she sucked in air and swallowed thickly. Edward looked back up at her, almost as if assessing her reaction.

She finally found her voice and said in a small voice, "I'd...I'd better go make dinner, then."

He smiled warmly at her and let go her hand. She let it fall to her side, feeling somewhat awkward, but at the same time strangely satisfied.

"You'd better, then. I'm getting pretty hungry."

She smiled and said as she turned, "Well, if I had a better kitchen, you'd be getting a pretty big steak as a thank you."

Edward leaned against the gunwale once more, a large grin on his face that would put the Cheshire cat to shame as he was watched Lupin walk away.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The weather was steadily getting colder. The water was losing its murky, grayish hue and grew to a colder, deeper blue color. It only helped to reflect the cold weather. The junk ship, the _Hai Peng_, simply sailed on as Barbossa directed it. No one knew of his coordinates-he played things strictly close to the vest. In fact, the only other who knew of his plans was probably his pet monkey, Jack, and the monkey was giving anything up anytime soon. And that darn monkey was as tight-lipped as his master was.

Bish was at a loss for a while. She didn't know where they were headed-other than a giant waterfall that was dubbed quite accurately as, "the end of the world". And she was less than satisfied when Lupin had no idea where they were endlessly sailing around in. "Probably the South Pole, it wouldn't surprise me," she had finally hypothesized.

She was now at the bow of the ship, wrapped tightly in a wool blanket. It was itchy, but it was, for the moment, quite warm. It wouldn't last though, as soon as they hit the iceberg field that Lupin had earlier warned Bish about. And, what Bish remembered from _Titanic_, hitting an iceberg was a bad thing. Especially when a giant metal ship didn't stand up to one, what would happen when a tiny wooden ship hit one?

She shivered involuntarily at the thought.

"Cold?" A voice asked her quietly. She jumped out of reflex and turned, her heart thumping hard for several seconds before she calmed and smiled, scooting over for Alphonse. He smiled at her warmly and sat next to her obligingly after giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. He chuckled.

"I'm fine. I just don't think we can go skinny dipping yet, not in these cold waters."

"Bish!" He laughed. She grinned at him a little. He leaned back more comfortably and motioned for her to come over. She paused for a moment before wriggling over and settling with her back against him. He wrapped his arms around her, content and instantly a lot warmer as well. They sat there for a while, simply enjoying one another's company. In that time, Alphonse was lost in thought. He thought back on everything that has happened, of what he and the others had been through. He sighed, slowly and heavily, and Bish stirred.

"What's the matter," she asked with a sigh of her own.

He smiled. "Nothing. I've just been thinking..."

"About?"

"Well...a lot of things. Us, for one." He replied.

She stirred a little more, shifting to a more comfortable position. Her back was hurting again, he guessed. It was something along the lines of a car accident she had a few years back, and her back would sometimes hurt enough to make her stiffen in pain. He hoped it wouldn't happen.

"Really?" She pressed, interest in her voice. He felt another smile tug on his lips.

"I've been thinking, well...about what's going to happen, ahead of time." He felt somewhat nervous admitting this to her, but he knew if he never told her, then...well, then what? He hesitated, noticing she was waiting for him to continue. "Bish...I want us to get married."

This time she stiffened completely in his arms instead of being comfortable and content. He held his breath and his tongue, fearing that he'd somehow worsen the situation. He waited several minutes, and finally, she stirred and answered him.

"Al...you know we're all going back home. To our respective times, our homes."

"I don't want to go back. Not if I can't be with you."

"Alphonse, what about your brother," she continued, and he knew she had a good point. But so did he.

"Do you really think he'd go back now, with the way he looks at Lupin? You see it as well as I do..."

"That they want to jump each other's bones? Yeah, I kinda do. But they're both too stubborn to admit it." Bish snickered and he too found the humor, and was glad that she was understanding what he was saying.

"Exactly. Do you think he'd go back without me, if I chose to go back with you?" Again, he felt her stiffen slightly, but he continued, undeterred. "He knows that I can make my own decisions...and he respects that, even if he sometimes acts the way he acts about them. But I doubt he'll go back alone, knowing his brother isn't just anywhere else than another country. Besides, the way he keeps pining for Lupin, he's bound to come as well."

As nervous as he was for telling her this, there were some things that had to be said, or they'd never be said at all. He was just as determined as he was afraid, deep down inside.

"You don't have to answer now, if you don't want to...but, please promise me that you'll think on it," he offered, kissing the back of her head. "I won't pressure you to answer right away."

Bish pursed her lips, brows knit together. She studied the grainy knots of the woodwork across from her, focusing on a particularly swirly knot by her foot. She sighed heavily before she nodded.

"All right. I'll...I'll give you an answer...soon."

Behind her, Alphonse smiled in relief. It wasn't an outright no, he was glad for. But it was still an indeterminate answer. Secretly, he hoped it would be a yes. But for now, he was satisfied enough. As long as he could live this moment for as long as possible, he was happy enough.

Bish stirred once more in his arms and twisted to look at him. She studied his face for a long time, and for a split second, just for one, he thought she was going to answer him then and there. He relaxed when she smiled up at him, kindness in her brown eyes and she leaned up to give him a kiss on the lips.

When she made to pull away, he held her fast, and she gave a small squeak of surprise before returning the kiss with fervor. Yes, he was happy right now, unaware of what was going on elsewhere on the seas. He was content to be in this moment with his girlfriend, blissful and ignorant.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


	64. Cold

**Cold**

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_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all (c) to their respective owners, I don't own them.**

**Note: For those who haven't seen them, go freakin' see _Megamind_ and _Harry Potter_. IF you haven't seen them. And _Tangled_, too for that matter. Haven't seen it yet, but I shall! Along with the new _Narnia_ movie. Heh. I'm such a sucker for Disney movies...x3**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Break, break, break,  
__On thy cold gray stones,  
__O, sea!  
__And I would that my tongue could utter  
__The thoughts that arise in me.  
_**-Lord Alfred Tennyson**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Somewhere, in the Caribbean, a vicious string of attacks began since the _Black Pearl_'s crew's departure from the Caribbean and later on, Singapore. Many pirates had fallen to the cruelty and persecution of the East India Trading Company's assault. Davy Jones and his ruthless crew aboard the haunted decks and hull of the Flying Dutchman conducted the most vicious and the worst of these attacks_. _

The group of pirates that the _Dutchman_ was honing in on never stood a chance. There came no warning at all. The pirates and their ships had taken to fleeing in groups, finding traveling in numbers might be safer than being picked off one by one. It was a tactic that would fail. The _Flying_ _Dutchman_ exploded in a massive spray of mist and seawater. The triple guns and the cannons rolled out and the ship's crew began their assault. The wooden planks were torn to shreds like wet tissue paper under the power of the Dutchman. The masts fell like mighty beasts, great cries of large timber crashing down. Men flung themselves from danger, unable to withstand the force that they were up against.

Against this cursed vessel, no man stood a chance.

Elsewhere, Lord Cutler Beckett brooded. A piece of eight spun across his desk, set before a large line of model soldiers...and the chest with Davy Jones' heart inside. His subordinates moved about his office cabin, deftly pushing modeled ships across a large map sprawled across another desk in the middle of the cabin. Mercer stood before him.

"A piece of eight. Nine of them, you say?"

"Our new friend in Singapore was very specific. _Nine_ pieces of eight." Mercer replied sharply.

The information, Beckett mused, was interesting. He asked aloud the significance. Mercer replied that their informant was tight-lipped on giving away further information regarding the subject. Mercer disregarded it. "Does it matter? There's nothing can hold against the armada, not with the Dutchman at the lead."

"Nothing we know of." Beckett replied darkly. He still examined the piece of eight. "Did you friend mention where the Brethren Court art meeting?"

Mercer replied no. His informant was tight-lipped on any further information. Beckett only mentioned how their new friend knew value in information.

"Best keep this between ourselves," he added. Beckett spared a quick glance towards Governor Weatherby across the way and an idea formed in his head. A terrible and yet very sufficient idea nonetheless. It would be put to action soon. "Don't want anyone running off to Singapore, now do we?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The seas that had once been flat and far as the eye could see on the horizon soon grew lumped and white with ice buttes, flats, icebergs and chunks free floating around them. They surrounded them, making navigation a cautious act. Underneath the water's surface lay a deadly array of ice, which could pierce the hull of a wooden ship easily if one wasn't careful. And it was cold, freezing cold. The moisture in the air was almost nonexistent, turning into a dry cold spell. Every time someone breathed, they could see their breath. Those who were off their shift, most would huddle together for warmth when they slept and when they couldn't sleep, they were too cold to do anything to warm themselves up.

Bish and Alphonse were one of those who huddled together, but instead of just when they slept, they did it as a constant. And, while Bish liked the cold, and preferred it even, this was too much of an extreme for her. She snuggled deeper in the blanket she and Alphonse had wrapped around them. She felt him shiver next to her and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I-I-I wonder when w-w-w-we're getting out o-of h-h-here..." Bish muttered, unable to stop the chattering of her teeth.

"Dunno...I-I hope it's s-s-soon, th-though..."

Jack the Monkey hopped around by they're feet, shivering. For a moment, Bish thought it strange that a cursed, undead monkey could feel anything, but the thought of it passed and she didn't focus on it too much after that. She just wanted to be warm, dammit...and be able to feel her toes and fingers again. She tried wriggling them and found that she could barely feel them at all. She thought about kicking off her leather boots and checking on her toes, but realized she was too cold to do so...

In a few minutes, she kept telling herself, too numb to care and being lulled into a cold, stiff drowsiness. Alphonse was no better, but he forced himself to be as vigilant as he could, but the cold was numbing him in the same way as Bish. Fuzzily, he worried about his brother, glancing at him from time to time. Although, at first glance he appeared stony-faced, but he knew that Edward was probably in more discomfort than he liked to let on. He also slid his gaze over every once in a while over towards Lupin, who wasn't that far from his brother, but neither was she close enough.

He closed his eyes with another shudder. Bish nestled closer to him and he was grateful for the warmth. Stiffly, he raised a hand and smoothed her frizzy hair down a few times before settling back down again. Oh, it really was cold...

Across the way where Alphonse had spied his brother, the older Elric brother was having an uncomfortable time. His metal plates on his upper torso and along his leg were really hurting. Fire was burning around the edges where flesh and metal met, and when he had checked it earlier, he found that the tissue and skin were highly irritated, very red with inflammation. He had tried warming it when his flesh hand, and it had worked, the tenderness gone for only a few minutes. He would occasionally rub at it, hoping to help with heat friction, but it could only help so much for so long. He found himself wishing for warmer weather, so that his body wasn't so irritated. He looked over to where Lupin sat, and he secretly wished she would come over. He could do with some body heat that wasn't his own. Plus, he wouldn't have minded having her in his arms...

She was looking at him, he finally realized. Her face was a blank slate, but he sensed her studying him with more scrutiny than she was really letting on. For a moment, things seemed to have wound down to a standstill before she got up and moved closer to him, but her eyes were now on his shoulder rather than his face. Then her face got an irritated scrunch to it and before he could say anything, she was pulling at his collar, and her lips took on a more puckered look. She saw the deep red and agitated skin before she pressed her hand to it.

He jumped in shock, her fingers were ice cold! And then there was another fire pressed against his skin, but it was a good kind of fire, a warm one instead of the cold-induced burning sensation he had previously felt. He wanted to melt at the welcome warmth, but the chills began to return when he realized that her hand was no longer there. He almost whined at her to put her hand back, but he kept himself in check.

"The metal on your body is going to be the end of you one day, I just know it," she finally sighed, almost in annoyance. She rubbed her hands together quickly, breathed on them before doing the same thing she had done a few moments ago, and he once more reveled in the heat and relief she provided.

"Geez...remind me not to take you dog sledding, you'll freeze into a metal and meat Popsicle in no time."

"Hey, I'm doing good for my first time," he grumbled moodily. She smiled a little at him and it was the first he had seen on her face in a long while. It was a genuine one, and the smile suited her so much more than the grimace or frown she usually wore these days. He wished she'd smile more often. She removed her hands again and stuffed them in her armpits, looking downright miserable herself. He sighed and motioned for her to sit. For a moment, she hesitated, looking between him and the offered seat nervously. She almost looked like she was going to retreat from him, but finally, even reluctantly, she sat down and curled up next to him, knees drawn to her chest.

"Oh...my fucking...God. It's so f-f-fucking c-cold!" She hissed under her breath. Edward laughed a little and nodded, trying to ignore the inflammation his artificial arm and leg were creating for him. He looked to where Bish and his younger brother were, snuggled up together, keeping one another warm... And again, he felt that cloud of jealousy settle in the pit of his stomach. Dammit, why couldn't _he_ have that? But, he expelled the thoughts from his mind and shook his head. He glanced at Lupin, who had that same tired, dull look in her eyes that everyone off-shift possessed. They were too cold to do much, and it wasn't as though they had the proper clothing to prepare for this sort of...adventure.

He would have been lulled into the same position...if it wasn't for his damn metal limbs. He could barely get enough sleep, these past few days, because of them. The dull aching pain was what kept him awake. He sighed heavily, which stirred enough of a stimulus for Lupin to look at him. "Hmm...you okay?"

She sounded sleepy, too, her words slurring slightly. He glanced at her, then away, rubbing his shoulder absently.

"Yeah. Except for...well, you saw." Actually, he was rather embarrassed. But, he wouldn't admit out loud to her...or anyone else for that matter, even his brother. She continued to watch him, eyes half-lidded and tired looking and was starting to lean on him for a pillow. He had to wonder how she could stand using his metal arm as a pillow, actually. It had to be very uncomfortable, now that he thought about it... And that thought led to another one. One that was devious in nature, but practical at the same time.

She continued to shiver, complacent and somewhat comfortable in her position...but she wasn't any warmer. Then again, she was leaning against a metal arm with only a thin linen shirt covering; it wasn't exactly an ideal place to be falling asleep...

Her dull, humdrum stupor was interrupted when Ed began to move and shift and she almost snapped at him to stop moving. He finally did, but his arm was now behind her, his hand on her other shoulder. She shivered and another wave of gooseflesh overtook her. Lupin looked at him, frowning at him.

"Come on...we're both freezing. The least we can do is stop beating around the bush and just keep each other warm. What do you say?" He smiled at her and dammit, she was melting already at it and she cursed her feminine side. Why was she being so stubborn, and then almost immediately, she reminded herself why. However, she was starting to question why her resolve wasn't as hard as it used to be. Lupin studied his face for a few moments longer before looking away. Her gaze fell upon the sleeping couple not too far from them and she felt her shoulders droop. In her mind, she didn't see the harm. After all, it was to keep herself warm...and she supposed it would help Ed as well. After all...she didn't have the same uncomfortable knot in her stomach when she'd pressed her hand on his shoulder earlier.

"Lupin?"

He brought her back down to reality and she blinked a few times, and looked back at him. Then she noticed the red and inflamed flesh she could see and she made up her mind.

"Fine. But if you grope me, I'm punching you. Got it?" She mumbled tiredly, and he threw up his hands in mock defeat, a grin on his face. But, there was also sincerity in his face. She knew he wouldn't do so. His face was red and raw from the cold, and she had to hold back her giggles at the sight, he was so rosy-faced. The smirk had melted away and turned into a genuine smile. She found herself smiling back and she sighed.

And then she plopped herself none too gracefully into his lap. He jolted in surprise; yelping and she peered over her shoulder at him with puckered lips. "You're the one who suggested it."

He stared at her and swallowed thickly, before the gears in his head began to work properly again. He calmed rather quickly and she heard him laugh before he placed his hands on her waist and gently maneuvered her around to a more comfortable position, for the both of them.

"Kind of wish we had a blanket," Ed muttered quietly. Lupin rolled her eyes, and wondered to herself how she had gotten herself into this predicament.

"I can go and get one, you know."

The arms he had around her waist squeezed a little when she shifted ever so slightly, and kept her pinned. She raised a brow at the slight whine in his voice when he said, "No...later...you're so warm..."

She sighed and settled back, and again, she realized how she shouldn't be here, she shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be leading him on, it was wrong. She wasn't...intentionally doing it, but she knew she had to cut this out. _I should talk to him again. _

She told herself this over and over, but she couldn't find herself convinced enough to say anything. A part of her wanted to be selfish and enjoy herself, because dammit, she deserved it after going through all this crap. She was torn between doing what was right, but also enjoying what was right in front of her. She even dared to admit (to herself, at least) of being selfish enough to want Ed to come back with her. If she knew that Alphonse and Bish had already talked about the subject, she probably wouldn't be worrying about talking to Ed about it at the moment. But, she was not aware of that conversation having taken place and currently worried about it needlessly.

The dilemma distracted her enough to lull her back into her previous stupor of almost falling asleep. She hadn't even paid much attention to how Ed had manipulated her body into covering both his shoulder, and his leg. While he couldn't do much for the back part of his metal plating, enough of Lupin's combined body heat was enough to spread and give it a dull throb rather than a fiery, painful sting.

He was content enough and, he knew he had gotten his wish. He had Lupin in his arms at the moment. He was finding himself being lulled into the same tired stupor she was currently in. It was pleasant and even finding himself falling asleep in an upright position didn't bug him much. It would later, he knew, but right now...he was extremely happy and didn't want anything to ruin the moment.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

They moved below deck after long, wanting to escape the wind. Lupin even snagged a blanket and after they found a dry place to lean up against, they were back in the same position below decks, against a few crates of supplies. Lupin curled up tightly and snuggled against Edward, thankful for his body heat and he for hers. But, having her warm breath against his neck while she nuzzled him, falling asleep once more, was rather distracting, sending chills down his spine.

Lupin shifted and blinked owlishly at him, head cocked the side. He couldn't help but admit, dare he say it, that she looked rather…adorable. "You still cold?" She asked rather skeptically with a frown. He smiled a little and shook his head.

"No, no, I'm…I'm fine."

She narrowed her eyes further, her gaze just as disconcerting as looking at a storm. Finally the light died and resigned and she lowered her head. "Liar…" She sighed, before leaning on his shoulder again. "So tired…"

"Then go to sleep," Edward quipped back, to which she sighed again.

"Maybe I will." She said quietly, her eyes already sliding closed. "Could do for a nap…"

His arm tightened a little around her shoulders, supporting her a little more. He leaned his head on hers, and he breathed in slowly, staring into the darkened hull across from him. After a time, he fell asleep as well.

She woke first, and for her first waking moments, she was panicking, believing she was blind, having transitioned from a dark dream to this dark hull. But, soon, shapes began to discern themselves, and she could vaguely see crates and barrels ahead of her. Something was wrapped around her waist and back, and again, her memory took a few moments to clear the cobwebs and kick in, before she realized who it was who was holding onto her. She turned, very carefully, her ear propped to listen to Ed's steady breathing. From the deep way he was breathing, she figured he was still asleep.

So, she sat back, her eyes still drooping, mind still clicking slowly. It was much too dark to be daylight, or even in the shadows of one of the icebergs. When she was able to figure out what that annoying little glow at the corner of the open grate, she felt rather slow on the uptake. It was one of the lanterns, already burning up top. _It must be nighttime, _she thought with a pause, leaning further against her living pillow.

He stirred behind her after another twenty minutes, taking in that first, long breath that signaled he was waking up, and he squeezed her a little tighter before releasing. His head leaned on her shoulder as he mumbled tiredly, "What time is it?"

She shrugged a little. "No idea." She made to remove his arms and get up, but he tightened his hold a little more, refusing to budge. She hesitated and frowned.

"Ed…come on, let me up…I'm hungry and I'm sure you are too. I know you get cranky without food."

"Please stay a little longer, you're warm…" He whined, almost begging. Lupin paused, reluctant. Slowly, though, she settled back against him, and she felt his breath tickling her ear. Something pressed against her cheek and she knew that he was giving her a chaste little kiss there. She flushed a little, her breath hitching and her heart fluttering in her chest. And she found that she couldn't stop grinning like an idiot when he pulled away and sighed, "Thank you…"

He leaned back and after a moment, Lupin leaned back against him once more, still smiling, and feeling like a fool at the same time. Again, she felt like an idiot, and she wanted to talk with him, but she suddenly realized she couldn't keep this up and telling herself they could only be friends. _What am I supposed to do…?_ She thought miserably before adding, _And why does he have to be so goddamned pretty? It makes it harder to say no to him!_

She would admit, she would stare at him, and she'd even sketched him in her rather poorly treated sketchbook from time to time. Not that she would openly admit that to him. She just couldn't find that same drive to push her away from him anymore. Not since Jack had died…not since that night in Tia Dalma's hut, where he had kissed her so fiercely…if rather awkwardly. He must not have had much experience, and while she didn't either, she had jut that much more on him.

Now it got harder to push him away, to tell herself that they would be going home, that they'd be going home to _separate time periods_. She was unsure how long she'd keep it up before she caved in. Maybe she already had, and she was just in denial. Either way, she knew she had to talk with Bish about this, maybe get reality smacked into her by her friend. _Maybe she'll clear my head…or kick me into Ed's arms. _

The prospect of that last option didn't really sound too bad at all, if they were going home together, and there was something to look forward to. She growled mentally and cursed her feminine side, the side that made her weak in the knees whenever Ed began to look at her more than just a comrade, a friend.

He fell back asleep soon enough, and Lupin found she would not be moving for a while; his arms had once again locked in and she found herself resigned to staying where she was. She hoped no one was looking for them; they might find it a hard time to do so. Lupin leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes and focusing on his steady breathing and rhythmic heartbeat. It was soothing, and she soon was lulled into another half-sleeping stupor, vaguely listening to both his heart, and the movements above them. It was peaceful, for a time, and she found herself falling asleep once more in Edward's arms.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**This may have been short, but it was so sweet, I bet it made all your teeth rot out. Also, I'd like to put out some pimpage. First off, I'm not updating UID as much, and probably won't for a while. If you want to get your fill of some reading from me, check out my other story, To Draw the Line in the mean time. I'm updating it much more than UID momentarily. (Just take the spaces out from in between the letters and symbols, you'll be fine).**

**http : / www. / s / 6115067 / 1 / To_Draw_the_Line**

**Second, the piece I'd done for UID. I started it over a year ago, and kept mussing with it. It's a picture of the art, so I'll have a scan up soon enough. **

**http : / KonaneShadowWolf . deviantart . com / art / Up-is-Down-181882349?q=&qo=**

**Lastly, here is my Bishie-kins' story, Falling Away With You! It's an FMA crossover, like this story, with Avatar: The Last Airbender! Give it a look and review her story! It deserves plenty of undying love!**

**http : / www . fanfiction . net / s / 6533627 / 1 /**

**Anyways, my dear little ones, that is all for now, please be sure to review, and don't forget to check on the links in this story! Or you won't make into the recognized reviewers box at the beginning of chapters! HA! I am so eviiiiil~ XD**


	65. Alice

**Alice**

**Reviewers:**

**D3athrav3n92**

**Haganeochibi**

**BIRDZILLA**

**XxWierdchikxXNeoko-chan**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**_Note:_ Sorry to **_**Haganeochibi**_** about the misspelled name incident last chapter; typos happen. Forgive me with this bribe of cyber cookies! (Gives)**

**To ALL my reviewers now, I apologize for the long wait, I'm a lazy writer. No, I really am. I've been putting off writing **_**Up is Down**_** for a while, mostly due to my inability to get into the groove, so I've been writing other stories instead. Of course, while the fourth installment in the **_**Pirates**_** franchise draws closer, my inspiration has been coming back, slowly but surely. **

**There is that, but there's also the fact that I finally got my **_**Pirates**_** DVDs out of storage so now I can get movie scenes directly! So, yes, I'll be writing a little more for **_**Up is Down**_** for y'all, because you, my readers, deserve to see the end of this story as much as I do. It's been a long haul, but it'll be drawing to a close, soon. Please be patient, and y'all shall be rewarded! **

**Now, on with the chapter! Yeeee-haw!**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Morpheus:** _I imagine that right now, you're feeling a bit like Alice. Hmm? Tumbling down the rabbit hole?__  
_**Neo:**_You could say that.__  
_**Morpheus:**_I see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he is expecting to wake up. Ironically, that's not far from the truth._  
**-Morpheus and Neo, **_**The Matrix**_

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was quiet, except for the soft whisper of wind. The sky was lightly dusted with the scattering of clouds, making it appear a convoluted grayish blue above. Far off into the distance, beyond the icebergs' impenetrable walls, the sky was brushed with light pinks and yellows, the sign of the rising sun beyond the break of clouds. Snow fell in soft swirls around them, although it didn't matter much. The Chinese junk was covered in ice all over. What little blankets there were had been donated to a very few on the ship. Others rode it out, feeling as miserable and cold as the ice and sea around them.

Pintel and Ragetti were certainly not enjoying themselves. They sat side by side, with Jack the Monkey shivering beside them. Strange that an undead monkey could feel the cold, but hey, they've seen stranger things. They weren't currently looking at him, however, and were staring off to the other side of the junk, across the open deck and towards the rising mountain of ice above them. That, and the frozen, dead body across from them, arms raised up as if holding something.

"Nobody said anythin' about _cold,_" Pintel griped. Ragetti shivered likewise beside his cousin.

"I'm sure there must be…a good reason for our sufferin'." He said. That remark only annoyed Pintel. This whole journey was a cockamamie goose chase in his opinion. When would they reach the dreaded Locker of Davy Jones? Or better yet find some other way of bringing Jack back?

"Why don't that obeah woman just bring Jack back the same way she brought back _Barbossa?_"

Said same obeah woman had paused in her way coming past the cousins and stared down at them with a heavy gaze, looking down on them. "Because Bahbossa was only _dead_."

They turned at the sound of her voice, and were surprised that she was only a foot away from them. She watched them as she slowly passed them. "Jack Sparrow is taken, body an' soul to a place, not of death, but _punishment_. De worse fate a person can bring 'pon 'imself…stretching on forever."

It was the first they saw a flint of anger sparking in her eyes, that and perhaps sorrow as well. They remained quiet as she finished with a hissed, "_Dat's_ what awaits at Davy Jones' Lockah."

Her lips pressed together in an angry line, her ice-covered brows sloping downwards in a slight scowl before she passed them by, almost with an air of finality. Ragetti and Pintel watched as she went, as Ragetti said, "Yeah. I knew there was a good reason."

As that conversation came to pass, Will was having his own with Tai Huang. He spread out the charts he had attempted—and failed—to steal from Sao Feng. He twisted the circles upon circles on the charts, shivering as he did so. "Nothing here is set. These can't be as accurate as modern charts."

"No," Tai Huang admitted, "but it leads to more places."

Will twisted the circles again. "Over the edge…over again."

Edward, who was passing by, trying to warm himself, which began to dawn on him as a futile attempt —_dammit, it's too cold!_—paused at the words. It was the first time he'd gazed on the charts and he stared, boggled at the disaffiliated continents and countries. Just as Will had thought, Edward believed these charts couldn't be accurate. He settled beside the young man, who looked at him with a slight, shivering nod.

"Edward," he greeted before looking back at the charts and he pointed at the first message. "Any ideas what this means? Or this. Sunrise sets, flash of green."

He looked over the cryptic, short message scrawled on the appointed, frowning and brow creased. After a while, he shook his head. "You?"

He nodded towards Tai Huang who only shook his head in return. "No. Sao Feng would, however…and others who have found out." To punctuate his point, Tai Huang looked to where Barbossa stood at the bow, the helm in his hands, while Jack the Monkey idled on his shoulders. Instead of resigning to a shivering fate, the little primate had decided to covet his favored spot on the pirate's shoulders once again.

Edward narrowed his eyes, before realizing Lupin was at his side, looking at the charts as well. Her own eyes were narrowed in scrutiny, her face holding a puzzled expression. She finally straightened, tightening the blanket over her shoulders.

"People used to believe that the world was flat…if you sailed too far, you would eventually fall off the edge of the earth. Maybe that's what the top one means."

"But…the earth isn't flat. That has been proven time and time again." Will reputed, before he fell quiet at the narrowed glare she gave him. He remained silent at her stare, before glancing at Ed.

"You idiot…you're going to freeze more than just your metal limbs off." Without hesitation, a reluctance she would have shown days ago, threw half of the blanket over Ed's shoulder, albeit sloppily. He blinked at her several times, more out of surprise than anything before giving her a small smile in return.

"Thanks."

Will watched them for a moment, hesitant to interrupt before he cleared his throat, garnering their attention in a less direct manner. "Do you happen to know…or what you might interpret, the last bit as, perhaps?"

She shrugged and looked at the map again. "Don't know what the last bit means. Maybe Barbossa does."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The weather began to warm as they cleared the icy seas. They had found two men frozen to death on deck as soon as activity began to thrive again. They were given primitive and rough funeral rites then tossed overboard. Their bobbing forms soon sunk as the waves lapped over their hard bodies as they sailed away on the _Hai Peng_. Their course continued, wherever it was that would lead them. Only Barbossa seemed to know where they were headed. The internal map was hiding in his head, safe from others' prying.

And, as the weather warmed as Barbossa led them further away from the ice field, the less people huddled. The less people huddled, the less they needed one another for warmth. Edward especially, was one of those people. He regretted his thoughts for warmer weather. Well, not entirely. He could feel his fingers and toes and his nose, oh he could feel them again. But he also knew he would lose the feeling of having Lupin close by, sometimes in his arms, other times close at his side.

But now, she was staying less. His shoulder was healing as well, which was another factor. In the beginning, she fussed. Now that it was nearly finished healing, and quite nicely, except for that scar—accompanying many others, in fact—he was fine now, having more motion in his limb than he's had in the past weeks. He sighed, aggravated and frustrated and just…so confused. Women were confusing.

He glanced across the strapped down supplies, where men lounged, chatted, or simply sat, staring off into the distance. He spotted Elizabeth at the bow, tempted to talk with her, but remained where he was. Tia Dalma was nowhere to be seen. Barbossa was at the helm, like usual, while others reclined in the galley or below decks. It was still chilly, but not terribly so.

He spotted his brother and Bish, side by side, and he found it a strange thought that he now saw it as…normal. They were always close together, rarely apart, much like Bish and Lupin were rarely apart. But, apart the two women were, and he wondered where she had gotten to. Perhaps Lupin was wherever Tia Dalma was. He began to notice the two were often sitting together, chatting quietly with one another. It was almost as normal an occurrence as Bish and Alphonse were together.

He practically flinched when he saw them kiss, and a fiery tendril of jealousy whelmed low in chest, and again he had to question, why couldn't he have that? _She_ resisted him, and he saw that it wasn't flat out rejection, no. She's responded in kind to him, he knew that. But what he saw was fear in Lupin's eyes, fear of what was to be in the future, and not what can be now. He saw and appreciated what she feared, but…

He shook his head, trying to clear the buzzing thoughts in there and leaned against the gunwale again, eyes closed, frustration still bubbling beneath the surface.

While Edward chased away his thoughts, Lupin below decks was trying to chase down her own, try to make sense of them herself. She questioned what she should do about her situation with Edward, and tried to convince herself that she needed to keep her distance. Again and again, she tried this, but that nagging little voice questioned her why. Why should she ignore what she wanted, why should she deny what would make her happy? Why continue to deny the beautiful young man who only wanted to be with her? At that very thought, she would always flush and try to shake the thoughts from her head, trying to find the logic she once believed in so vigorously. She felt like such a child, trying to grope to understand a situation that was beyond her, challenging and confusing her.

_We have to go home. Calypso said she'd help us home, if we helped her._ She would try to reason with herself. Then the niggling little idea of asking Edward to come back with her, to her time period, would often present itself. Then she'd argue against that idea, saying it wasn't right, it shouldn't happen and turn herself around in circles on those thoughts. What about the mission he and his brother were trying to accomplish? Should she let them bypass all the work they'd done, trying to find that man with the bomb? What difference would it make if they even failed, the bomb was made anyways. There would be no victory for them in the end, anyways. They _would_ fail, that was a certainty. Again, the testament of Hiroshima and Nagasaki flit through her mind.

_So, how bad could it be if they did come with us? _

The finality of this reflection struck her like a brick wall as she began to climb back top deck, to hopefully clear her thoughts with the passing breezes that carried their sails.

What harm could it do to simply have them come back, and bypass the flow of time they used to be in? Not much, really, once she thought about it. They wouldn't succeed in stopping the bomb from being made or dropped, the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki could already attend to that solid fact. The history of many nuclear bomb drops in the desert landscape of America was scarred by the reality of it all as well. _So, what harm could it really _be, she wondered.

The ice flow had finally receded behind them, and they came to the crossing tides of the warm and cold climates of the oceans. Barbossa was at the helm that day, and there was a stiff breeze pushing them along at a sleek pace. The skies were clear of any cloud cover, the sun dipping low towards the horizon, beginning to cast the blues of the sky into light pinks and yellows. Lupin contemplated over her internal dilemma for a while, unaware of the time passing as she simply stared out ahead of the bowsprit.

Bish was busy handling a complaining sailor beyond, another frostbite victim. There was little to be done, except pressurize the areas of lost digits, and tightly wrap bandages to hide the ugly marks after she finished stitching the open wounds with a hot needle. Elizabeth was helping tend to the dinner that night, allowing Lupin a night of peace. Someone moved behind her and Lupin finally brought herself back to earth at the sounds of approach. She turned, habit making her reach for any weapon on her, but she calmed when she saw it was Tia Dalma.

The woman smiled at her and stepped lightly across the deck, settling gracefully besides Lupin. She too began to stare at the sea, a look of deep longing in her eyes.

"You've been lost from de world for a while now, aren't you, Lupahn?" She finally said to the younger woman. Lupin studied Tia Dalma, before she nodded.

"I…I guess. I've been thinking, about a lot of things."

"Aor, perhaps only one t'ing, in gen'ral, yes?" She smiled slyly, and Lupin, forgetting who it was she was speaking with, felt rather flabbergasted.

"How did you—?" She began to ask, but stopped herself short and sighed in aggravation. "Never mind. How could you _not_ know, is the question." She looked down at her hands, roughened up by hard work, calloused by life at sea. She was as good at tying knots or dueling with a sword as any man on this vessel. She took more to the life of a sailor and a pirate than her friend did, and she was good at it, she knew that, and so did others. A small, fleeting part of her did not want to leave this behind, but she knew where she truly belonged. The thoughts passed along quickly and the conversation at hand returned to her mind.

"You've been doubting what you started with, dear girl. You want what you t'ink you can't 'ave. But…perhaps you can have dat somet'ing, you been t'inkin' about ahll along."

The riddled words confused her somewhat, but the gist was still there, at least. Lupin only nodded, half-understanding. A fine hand covered her rough ones and squeezed. Tia Dalma looked at her gravely. "But dere is always a price that must be paid for you to have dat."

The fleeting thought of, _equivalent exchange_, crossed her thoughts before she tensed a little. Lupin hesitated, fear draining her face for a moment. "And…what price is that?"

The obeah woman kept the still look on her face, and a sadness crossed her expressive eyes for a moment. "What be most precious to you, Lupahn? To de others? Hm? Dere be a price to pay in de end, an' you must find what price you must be paid before going home."

She furrowed her brow in confusion, and that confusion drifted into the territory of annoyance. "What kind of riddle is that? Can't you just…tell me?" She pleaded with Tia Dalma. The woman's face remained the same for only a few more seconds before she smiled, squeezing her hand again.

"Ahll in good time, I promise. You shall go home, ahll of you. But, think on dis in de meantime. What price would you be paid for you ahll to go _together?_"

With that said, Lupin stared after the obeah woman as she got up and sauntered off. Her words left Lupin reeling, and she didn't know what to make of the cryptic verses. Then she realized Tia Dalma, when she was free once again as Calypso, was offering her something. For them to all go home was the prize, but there was something they'd have to pay in return.

_Just like equivalent exchange, _Lupin thought with an ironic, if bitter, smile later that night.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She was singing a lullaby, the lyrics in Spanish. He knew the words and could follow along well enough, and he listened quietly while she sang. When she stopped, he ventured closer and snuck up behind her, pulling her into a warm embrace. Bish jumped, alert and surprised but when he laughed, she slowly eased and relaxed into his arms, sighing contentedly. The air was clear and growing warmer the further away from the ice drifts they got, but it didn't mean she wasn't enjoying Alphonse any less.

"What're you thinking about?"

"Home."

The reply was usually the same. He frowned a little, sad at her answer. But he had hope. He was always the more optimistic one when it came to him and his brother. It certainly kept his brother hopeful, and he was sure that Bish was grateful for it as well.

"I have a feeling," he began, pausing briefly to give her a kiss on the cheek, "that we'll get home soon."

"How do you know?"

Day by day, the longer they sailed, he knew her hope was fading. But he knew that she was only keeping it because he was, and because her friend kept it burning as well.

"I just have this feeling. You and Lupin were the ones who said Tia Dalma could help us and I…trust your instincts." He hesitated and she heard it in his voice. While he was skeptical, like his brother, about the powers of this mysterious woman who now traveled with them, he tried to keep an open mind about it.

After all, Barbossa had been dead the first time he saw him, but now he's alive and kicking. If this woman could bring back the dead, where he and his brother couldn't, then perhaps there was some merit to her abilities. Maybe, just maybe, she really could send them home. For a while, Bishquet didn't answer, simply content to enjoy this moment. It was rare to have time to one another, being on a ship full of nosy people and all, but now… She just wanted to enjoy this, not talk, but the gravity of his comment weighed on her mind. She noted when he hesitated, that level of uncertainty in his voice worrying her.

"You don't believe this can all happen, do you?" She asked quietly after a while. Alphonse remained quiet, searching for the right answer. Finally he sighed at length, exasperated.

"It's not that I don't believe you, it's just…"

"Hard to believe in something you haven't seen. Like believing in God."

He gave a dry laugh. "I suppose that's an apt analogy."

She smiled a little. "It's okay if you don't believe right away. I guess it's just one of those things you have to see to actually believe in."

He nodded, even if she couldn't see it. "Thank you. I know it's hard for you to trust her, but…I guess we don't have much of a choice."

"Tia Dalma?"

"Mmm."

For a while, the conversation dropped and Bish was glad. She was tired of talking about it. The what if's, the how's, the possibilities, the maybes, everything. It was a circle of nothing but theories and she was tired of talking about them, tired of thinking about them. Lupin was constantly rattling about them, muttering to herself, even consulting with Tia Dalma sometimes and only coming back with a handful of clues and riddles, and a head full of pain and ache.

It was enough to make Bishquet sick about it, and she wasn't the one carrying around the questions anymore. For once, she wanted to push it out of her mind, and just…forget. It felt nice to pretend things were normal. Or, as normal as being in the middle of the 1700s, sailing with pirates, and about to find the edge of the earth and purposely go fall off of it.

She closed her eyes, simply content to be here, to pretend things were as normal as she could, and try to enjoy what time she was having alone with Alphonse. Well, as alone as they could possibly get, that is. Most of the crew was asleep, the rest feasting away in the galley, while she and Alphonse had a section of the deck all to themselves. The sun was setting, casting a blood-red gleam to the otherwise grayish blue, dingy waters around them.

On they sailed, for another day, and who knew when it would be when they found the end of the world. She just knew, very vaguely, was that Barbossa was getting them lost on purpose in order to find the edge.

_Ugh, there I go again. Stop it!_ She chastised herself, scrunching her face a little. She heard Alphonse laugh and the rumble vibrated against her back. "What're you thinking about?"

"Trying _not_ to think, actually," she replied with an exasperated sigh. She opened her eyes and slumped a little more against him. "Tired of thinking about all of…_this_." She motioned to the deck, to the sleeping pirates, to the sea. "I'm tired of…being here. I want to go home, but I don't want to think about how to get home…"

"You can't really help it, though. But, I get what you're saying…it's hard to _not_ think about it, and when you don't, it almost makes you forget about home itself." She turned her head to glance back at him and found he was grinning a little sheepishly. "If that makes any sense, that is…"

She smiled at him and twisted in his arms, put one of hers around his waist and gave him a light kiss on the lips. "It does. Sorry I'm so…wiry right now, I'm just…trying to enjoy myself. Sort of."

He laughed again, and the sound of him laughing, it made her all the more relaxed. She snuggled closer, wanting nothing more at this moment than to simply sit with him, and again pretend things were normal. She was in her own home and not at sea, snuggling on the couch with Alphonse after a cozy meal, and just enjoying his company. It was a nice fantasy to think up, but in the end, she knew she'd have to come back down to earth (or the sea, if you wanted to get technical) and wake up the smell of brine and smelly pirates.

But, for the moment…she was content. She didn't want to feel like Alice down the rabbit hole and in Wonderland. She didn't want to think of crazy voodoo goddesses, hammy pirate captains, and their insane little pets that your best friend would cuddle with without a second thought. It was nice to pretend sometimes.

Maybe it'd come true soon enough.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**For all my reviewers, you are awesome, no matter how few! I'll hopefully be getting on with a regular posting schedule, maybe. If I don't, all you lovely readers can occupy your time with my other story, Crash. It's up and about, ready for the taking! Edward and Alphonse will be in it, and it'll be based off the manga, so a few other FMA characters will show as well! Give it a look see, Death Note characters are up to bat for now, but it'll grow, it'll grow. 8D **

**In the mean time, reviews are lovely, but critique is ever so delicious~ ;3**


	66. Over the Edge

**Over the Edge**

**Reviewers:**

**Haganeochibi**

**TheSilverBloodAlchemist**

**KageMiyasawa**

**BIRDZILLA**

**Neoko-chan**

**Scurryfunger**

**Shinzochi**

**Kindlejack**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Note: To answer **_**Kindlejack**_**'s question, no the boys haven't tried their alchemy, and I'm using the foundation for the first anime and the film to go off on. They aren't convinced of magic quite yet, and even after the strange things that've happened, they haven't considered using alchemy. But, all in all, no, they will not be able to use alchemy at all in this story. Sorry! As for the sword scenes, they kept switching and tossing swords around, you didn't miss anything. Unless I screwed up. Which I'm sure I might've. I'll have to look back and see lol.**

**And what is this? Am I, dare you believe it, ALIVE? Yes. I am. This story is not quite dead! Yet. I hope not. It just takes a lot of energy and effort to put more stock into this story nowadays...it's short, but it's sweet, to the point, and I'm very glad I finally got around to finishing this chapter. Bishquet is too, by the way. Hopefully, I'll get the next chapter underway soon! :D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Zoe:** _Where are we going, sir?_  
**Mal:** _The same as always. _Forward_.  
_**-Zoe and Mal, "**_**Firefly**_**" (Comic)**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Time seemed to melt like the liquid around them: effortlessly and fluidly. Days passed without any sign of the so-called "End of the Earth". There was no giant waterfall, no billowing sheet of water that opened into a yawning chasm that led to the foreboding realm of Davy Jones' Locker. None of it appeared and men began to become antsy. They began to question Barbossa, but none stepped forward to challenge him. His cutthroat reputation had by far preceded him, and it kept wanna-be mutineers from rising up against him. The only ones who kept the faith was Barbossa, naturally, and those that had been part of Jack's original crew, and several other key members on the _Hai Peng_ at the moment. But time also seemed to drag as well as quicken its pace. It was a paradox at times, but the pirates endured all the same. They were the rough survivors, the tough sea rats that scrounged for every opportunity to survive and thrive.

Every night, the men watched the skies, a brilliant patchwork of silvery stars glittering above them, the moon a crescent, a bloated disc, a shining coin in the sky as they sailed on, day and night. Unknown to them, the terror of Cutler Beckett reigned supreme, with the _Dutchman_ as his flagship, and Jones under his control, pirates fell left and right. The call grew stronger, thrumming through the doomed and the running, uniting them against a common enemy.

The _Hai Peng_ sailed on, however, unnoticed in the wide seas, the crew in the hands of Barbossa. He manned the helm often, rarely offering it to anyone else, except for perhaps the mute Mr. Cotton when he rested. He may have been brought back to life, but he was still a mortal man, through and through.

The sun had set not long ago, nearly two and a half months having gone by since they had left Singapore to its fiery ruin. This night, like previous nights, was filled with the blanket of stars and smatters of cosmic dust covering the dark night sky. The sea was as smooth as glass, the only sound of its presence being the lapping of it against the ship's hull as the _Hai Peng_ cut through like a hot knife through butter. The rigging creaked, further filling the silence. Only a few lanterns were lit to guide their passengers, but the moon and stars provided light as well to see by.

Edward was rotating his shoulder back and forth, loosening its stiffness by trying to keep it as limber as possible. He never knew how stiff the muscles could become after healing the way it had. He aimed to do some more strenuous exercises to further loosen it up, to keep it from healing wrong. He didn't particularly enjoy the thought of a partially functional limb. It sent an involuntary shiver down his spine. He sighed, glancing at the men on the ship around him. He spotted Elizabeth seated at the bow, hugging herself. Pintel and Ragetti were nowhere to be seen. Most of the men had gone below to rest. Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Cotton were also missing from sight.

His brother and Bishquet were, for the moment, napping against the gunwale. He glanced to his left, spotting Lupin not far from him. He swallowed a little, distracted by her quiet face, looking out at the dark sea and sky when someone came up beside him.

"How did you meet?"

The voice belonged to Will. Edward, who had stiffened at the first words, relaxed after realizing who it was. He glanced at the young man, whose face was terse and blank all at once, but confused as well. He was glancing at Lupin, but Edward noticed his gaze slipping towards a certain golden-haired woman at the bow. Edward leaned back against a stack of crates, looking at the gunwale, as if it would provide the answer for him.

"We were stranded in a…in a long boat. Our ship sunk. The other survivors died from dehydration and sunstroke. My brother and I were the only ones found alive." He nodded towards Lupin. "She and her friend had a ship about this size, maybe smaller. They were vacationing."

"Vacationing?" Will echoed with surprise tinting his tone.

Ed grinned a little. "Yeah. They got caught in a storm, crashed on some rocks and Jack rescued them, then us shortly after. He took us in. I owe him that much, but that doesn't mean I'm particularly fond of the bastard. She—," He hesitated, stopping short. Will gave him a puzzled look. Edward swallowed roughly. "She's the one who cares about the guy. Like a kid and their mentor, I guess."

The last had come out rather quick and quiet, with Edward furrowing his brow.

"Did she love him?"

The question, while innocent enough, made Edward clench his fist, but he did nothing else other than shrug. "No. She just feels indebted to him for rescuing all of us and not dumping us overboard afterwards. Kept us…safe."

There was a brief silence between them both, and it felt as if the air was stifling, hard to breath, thick like soup.

"Does she love you, then?"

Edward didn't answer. He didn't know how. He was unsure of what to call the relationship he and Lupin had now. He wasn't sure how to label it. Yes, they did, but it was complicated? He didn't want to say where he and his brother really were from. He didn't want to say where the girls were from, either. Parts of the story weren't his to tell. Others were, but he didn't feel it necessary to indulge the young man. It wasn't his business. But the facts remained the same: where he and his brother had come from, and where the girls had come from, it complicated things between them all. Between himself and Lupin. Bish and Al didn't seem quite as worried, not yet anyways.

He exhaled slowly, the burst of air streaming through his parted lips and he shrugged again. "I don't really know what to say on that one." He decided it was a time for a change of subject. "What about you and Elizabeth? I thought you two were supposed to be, you know, engaged."

Here, he saw Will shift uncomfortably, not meeting Edward's eye as he looked away, anywhere but the bow now, anywhere but Edward's piercing gaze. "It's…complicated."

"Guess we're in the same boat them. Figuratively speaking, of course."

"Of course," Will agreed quietly with a nod.

He snuck another glance towards Elizabeth and this time, his gaze lingered. Edward silently allowed him his time and space, before he found it practical to say, "You should go talk to her. Whatever's between you…you should try to resolve it. Before it's too late."

Will tore his gaze from the love of his life and towards Edward, lips pursed and face unreadable, before he offered the smallest of grateful smiles and nodded once. "Thanks."

Edward watched as Will passed him by, about to pass Lupin, when she decided she was done staring off into space and pushed off from the gunwale. She hadn't seen Will coming until he was almost on top of her, her mind miles off from the ship they were sailing in. Will stiffened and on instinct rather than on conscious thought, drew his hand towards his sword, fingers curling around the hilt of the blade.

Lupin turned to face him, perhaps to go the opposite direction he was going, and she stopped at the sight of the tense man in front of her. Her eyes narrowed only slightly, barely noticeable and her lips puckered into a thin line. "You gonna hit me or something?"

Will relaxed, letting out a breathe he hadn't known he'd been holding. "No, I'm sorry. It's…it's just instinct, I'm afraid."

Lupin remained where she was, studying his face, her own body tense before she turned back to the gunwale, deciding she was going to stay where she was after all. "Whatever, dude."

That made Will pause. Down where he was relaxing for the moment, Edward stirred, his muscles coiling while he softly pleaded she didn't do anything stupid or rash again. She'd already done enough damage by being brash with Barbossa, Will was an actual ally they could count on. There wasn't any need to sever ties. _Just once, keep your mouth shut, please! _But he waited, ready to spring if it came to blows. He doubted it would, but it seemed the only way to stop the young woman was to intervene. She hadn't exactly lashed out before, but she'd grown very close if Bish hadn't stopped her, or if he didn't.

But that wasn't what Will was focusing on, not her tense body, her clipped tone, or unhappy expression. The one thing he was confused and thrown off about was just a word. _Dude. _

He stared at her, a cross between boggled and uncertainty. He was staring at her, wondering if that was a curse or an expression that only she and her friend seemed to spout off to one another. He'd been curious, yes, but never enough to voice it until now.

"Dude?" He finally repeated, brow furrowing slightly. Lupin glanced at him, lifting herself up a little more from her leaning position.

"You barely qualify as one."

Now he knew she was trying to insult him. "Is there a problem you have with me, something you'd like to get off of your chest?"

He crossed his arms, staring her down, not at all intimidated. She was short, for one, and while he's seen her famous temper, and knew she could handle a sword, he knew she wouldn't be stupid enough to openly engage. A person's hand on a sword was an instinctive reflex or a show of silent intimidation. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, and he on his.

"No. Nothing at all." She said abruptly before he saw that glint in her eyes, the same glint that made her appear more than she seemed to be. "But I will say this, and only this, about you trying to play the part of a pirate, Will." She set her shoulders back a little, looking a smidgeon taller than usual as she moved past him with fluid grace that only a sailor could have while on a ship. "You will never be as good a pirate as Jack, so stop trying."

She strode past him without another word or a glance, not even a smug smile or a sneer thrown his way. Edward stopped her from passing him, however, and Will watched as she merely stopped at his surprisingly gentle grasp, despite the fire in his eyes. Words never passed between them, but he had a feeling that some sort of conversation was going on, some mute understanding.

Will felt a slight sting in his pride at her sharp words, however, and it seemed the saying, a tongue as sharp as a sword was not far off. She was a capable swordsman; her skills had shown well enough in Isla Cruces. But her words were as sharp as any well-kept sword, and just as cryptic as a Tia Dalma's words. They were also very obvious. She was insulting him. That much was quite clear.

He caught Edward watching him, gold eyes quiet and observant, before he nodded towards Elizabeth at the bow. Words finally managed to pass between him and Lupin, and he saw the young man talking with her in a low voice. She merely gave a short reply before sitting beside him. Will turned away, trying not to think of her piercing words. He approached Elizabeth, and caught sight of Edward's brother, Alphonse with Bish, the two of them curled together, sleeping.

His mouth went dry as he looked away, back to Elizabeth. They should've been married by now, happy and together. But he felt pain when he thought of Elizabeth now, pain from the memory of having seen her and Jack, on the deck of the _Pearl_ before it was taken by the Kraken. He pursed his lips and stood behind her, studying her before he asked her quietly, "How long do we continue not talking?"

She gave him a brief glance, avoiding his eyes. "Once we rescue Jack, everything will be fine."

There was a brief pause between them, but it was strained, he could sense it. Finally, he asked, "When we rescue Jack?" _Then what? _

She looked to him. This time he was the one who could not meet her eyes. She stood and walked away. Many things raced in his mind, among them wanting to tell her to stop, to tell her they needed to talk, to ask _why she had kissed Jack_—

But he didn't. He let her go. He held his tongue. He didn't follow her. Instead, he stared off past the bowsprit, towards the horizon, only he could no longer see it. A mist had formed around them, low and thick and drizzly. The mists cleared suddenly, and he saw against the horizon, the rush of that same mist rising into the air, this time accompanied by churning waters and frenzied choppy waves. And suddenly he knew.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The frothing, cascading waters ahead of the Chinese junk sent shivers of pure terror up her spine. Her heart had seemingly made permanent lodgings in her throat. She wasn't sure if the roaring in her ears was the rushing waters ahead or the blood pulsing through or both. She barely heard Will shouting to the crew, Barbossa negating his orders, or the frantic cries of the mixed crew of Singaporeans and Englishmen.

Everything seemed to go numb and gray, especially when the junk picked up further speed. The thick sails above flapped noisily above, useless now that the waters ahead controlled their path and fates. They were pulled closer to the yawning abyss, the edge of the earth, the land of the dead, Davy Jones' Locker.

Something clamped onto her wrist, firm yet gentle all the same, guiding her away from the railing, away from the gut-churning sight ahead of them. It was as though, in those few seconds of distraction, color had faded back in rush. Edward was holding her shoulders, still firm but now tight with worry and determination.

"You'd better hurry and find something to hold onto, that crazy bastard's going to let us go over the edge!"

As if giving evidence to his words, the _Hai Pang_ gave another unsettling lurch.

After that, in an instant, the worry and apprehension of the titular Locker didn't strike Lupin as hard anymore. The firmer, harder grip of Ed's right hand over her arm alarmed her. His metal arm and leg.

In the Locker they wouldn't have this ship. They'd need to swim to shore.

Edward couldn't swim.

"Ed—you-you're arm and leg, yo-you—," She couldn't even get it out. Her throat constricted and a newer, more paralyzing fear grabbed ahold of her, tighter and even more unrelenting than before. "You can't _swim_."

She saw the fear hiding in his eyes, just lurking behind his hardened, determined expression. It flashed across his face momentarily. Her hand flew to grip his arm and she squeezed. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off before he could even start when the _Hai Pang_ gave another almighty lurch beneath their feet. Immediately, he pushed them both towards the closest lining to grab ahold of. She instinctively grabbed hold and held on tightly. The ship began to tip, and above the waterfall's roar, people yelled in panic. The deck's floorboards seemed to fall away and they began to suspend, dangling over the edge. She heard Edward shout in her ear, "Don't let go!"

And then they were over the edge, falling into free space.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He didn't know when the free-fall had ended and when the water had begun. He only remembered the terror of when water accidentally filled his lungs when he sucked it in on impulse and not breathing in air. Pain exploded into his chest. His body felt heavy and useless. He flailed, feeling not for the first and certainly not the last time, helpless. Lupin's words echoed in his head as he tried to stave off the mindless panic that threatened to consume him.

He flailed his legs, but already he felt strangely tired and aching. He never swam often as a kid, and never in water this deep. The light reflecting on the waters above him seemed so painfully far away, the surface just beyond his reach, teasing him…

He barely drifted down two feet before arms wrapped around his middle suddenly, a body pressed against his back. Legs were pumping wildly behind his, thumping and kicking hard to get them to the surface.

_Dammit, move!_ He told himself angrily, forcing his legs to kick as well. They were closer to the surface now, he could just reach and touch the surface—or was that a trick of the wavering light? The wild kicking began to slow and for a moment, the fear came back.

_Not you too, don't! Don't quit! _

His chest burned, lungs aching painfully for air, his throat and nose still burning from the salty water. He kicked harder, but he felt sluggish, tired, not like himself at all. Another pair of hands grabbed at him, then another. The arms around him were pried away and he felt fear grip him for whoever it was that had been helping him moments before. The two new pairs of hands yanked him upward, and suddenly, there was cool air to be had. He gasped, inhaling deeply, stinging his throat as he hacked and coughed water out of his lungs, but it felt damn good at the same time.

Edward saw his brother almost immediately, treading water beside him, grinning in relief.

"Decided to take a swim with us after all, huh brother?"

"Did-didn't have much of a choice, did I?"

Will was on his other side, helping his brother keeping him afloat. Edward barely kept his head bobbing and he looked about, seeing the others make for the shoreline just beyond them. Pieces of driftwood, from the wreckage of the _Hai Pang_, dipped in the water along with them. He saw Lupin on one of them, kicking towards them at a sluggish pace. Will grabbed for it when she was close, thanked her and passed it to Edward, who immediately clung to it, shameless for the moment that he needed it.

"She went down for you, you know."

Edward whipped his head to his brother, who had stayed b his side, treading water as they slowly made their way beside the crew to shore. Some were on driftwood pieces just like him.

"Who?" He asked, before he felt stupid for asking and followed up with, "Lupin?"

"Who else?"

Guilt bloomed in his almost immediately. He couldn't imagine her ever having the strength to try hauling his water-logged ass to the surface. And yet she did. She would've drowned trying to save him. He remembered the panicked look on her face moments before they had gone over the edge and he shuddered, throat constricting painfully at the thought.

_She was ready to go down with me, just to try and keep me afloat. _

He watched her bob along tiredly, her movements slow and deliberate, but determined to keep up, head just above the waves.

"Thanks," he said at last to his brother.

"Well, I couldn't let you both drown! Even if you can big pains in my butt," Al said as he grinned again, before adding, "besides, I'm not the one you should thank."

Edward rolled his eyes, but chugged alongside his brother. Will had moved on to help a few of the others before making his way to shore, not looking fatigued in the least. Bish swam alongside Elizabeth and Tia Dalma, looking determined, if a little mad, as she paddled closer to shore. Barbossa was already hitting the beach. They too finally landed and Edward had never been so glad to have solid ground underneath his feet.

"I'm never going swimming again," he declared at last when he'd caught his breath. Alphonse only chuckled between breaths, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

"That'll do, brother, that'll do."

Alphonse flashed another smile, looking haggard, but happy to be alive. He turned to check on Bish, who had collapsed on the beach, looking quite happy to be on land herself. Edward watched for a moment, before turning to look where Lupin had beached herself, looking like a wet dog, hair and clothes plastered to her skin. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but stopped when he realized she was staring intently at something.

He turned to look too, and simply gaped.

He was staring at a vast void of sand dunes, and nothing but.

They had just landed themselves on a desert shoreline.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Drama llamas, the lot of them! The next chapter shall be up...soon. In the meantime, my precious reviewers, hope you enjoyed! Lots of love to you all who stuck around waiting for this! :D**


	67. Crazy

**Chapter Sixty-Seven:  
****Crazy**

**Reviewers:**

**Haganeochibi**

**BIRDZILLA**

**Keiyou**

**Shadowcaster01**

**KageMiyasawa**

**Shinzochi**

_**Disclaimer:**_** All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I don't own them. **

**Note: Yes. I'm alive. This story is too, it was just…under a very long, unannounced hiatus. It's been a while since the spark of inspiration to write for **_**Up is Down**_** came to me. I feel awful, considering how close to the end this story is. I know, it should be easy, considering I'm following a movie plot's guidelines, but gathering enough for original scenes and plopping them into the movie's plot is harder than it should be, for me, anyways. At least, that's how it feels. **

**So, I apologize for the wait, and I also thank you, from the bottom of my little heart, for waiting so patiently while I got it together on my end. Also, I love my beta, Bishquet. She is so awesome. Give her some love by checking her stories out! :D**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_There is a thin line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.  
_**-Oscar Levant**

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The desert stared back at them with unblinking, unrelenting mercy. The heat beat down upon them and most of the crew, if not all, was glad to have just taken a dip in the waters beforehand, even if through an unconventional manner. They stared off at the dunes, at the wreckage from the _Hai Peng_ at their feet, to the barren ocean that lay just behind them. A barren wasteland lay before them, in the form of a sea of sand. Another was behind them, a desolate wilderness of water, which could not quench the thirst, no matter how much there was of it. The sand and the surf, indeed. It was an irony, that.

Alphonse wiped at his brow, pushing back the sopping mess that was his hair, already feeling heat building up, even as the sun dried his clothes and skin, and soon his hair. It was dry heat, so different from the humid, stickiness that accompanied the Caribbean's tropical climate. He wiped at his brow, worried about the lack of sweat on his dried brow. He'd become too complacent, hadn't drank enough water while harbored on the _Hai Peng_. He already felt his throat feeling dry and parched.

"This truly is a godforsaken place," Gibbs spat a few feet away from him, still dripping wet from having pulled himself out of the sea.

"I don't see Jack," Elizabeth remarked, staring off towards the glaring golden dunes. "I don't see anyone."

Alphonse frowned, taking another look at the dunes. Another voice spoke up, aggravated and annoyed. "This…is Davy Jones' Locker? This place…freakin' _sucks_."

He turned to see Bish panting as she hauled herself to her feet and he moved closer to help her. Barbossa said as he did so, "He's here. Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took."

"We're in a barren wasteland; this can't be the place, can it?" He asked, and Barbossa merely shrugged, giving him an irksome little smile.

"And does it matter? We're trapped here, by your doing. No different than Jack." Will remarked with a slight sneer on his face as he regarded Barbossa. Barbossa cast him a glance.

"Witty Jack is closer den you tink." Tia Dalma called cryptically, cradling something in her hands. A wry smile accompanied her words.

"What does she mean by that?" Bish whispered hoarsely before she locked her gaze onto the dunes, eyes widening in shock. Alphonse watched her face for a moment, taken aback, before he turned his head to see what exactly she was staring at. He froze, the same as her, one arm locked across her shoulders, hers around his middle for support as they stared at the strangest sight they'd seen.

It was the _Black Pearl_ sailing up and over a great golden dune. There was no wind, but it wasn't as though it mattered. The sails were reefed, but it was still an impressive, if odd, sight. By then, everyone's attention had locked onto the sight of the _Black Pearl_ coming towards them, towards the beach, mouths agape, eyes round and focused.

"Impossible," one member of the _Hai Peng_ breathed in bewilderment. Bishquet shook her head.

"It isn't…it's not impossible. I don't think anything is impossible anymore." Her words were too quiet for the man to hear, but Alphonse heard her well enough. And he had to agree. He didn't think anything was impossible anymore, not with the things he and the others have seen. Not even with the things he's seen, he couldn't quite come to terms that the word '_impossible_' was in his vocabulary anymore. As the ship came closer, kicking up the sand, they could spot a lone figure atop the fore mast.

The figure was none other than Jack.

Naturally, Gibbs was the first to react.

"Slap me thrice an' hand me to me mama. It's Jack!"

That seemed to stir a few people into flocking closer towards the surf as the _Black Pearl_ hit the water. Whatever had borne the _Pearl_ to the water was quickly sinking deep into the surf as the ship pushed further out. Elizabeth smiled briefly, relief welling inside her, before she stopped after only a few steps, the smile gone from her face. Lupin pushed past her and she stared after the ship and the younger woman's retreating backside all the same. Edward was not far behind her, while Alphonse and Bish joined the two of them.

She turned away from the sight of those loyal to Jack, and shot a glance back at Will, who still stood beside Barbossa. He turned to greet her eyes, but she had already looked away. The pain she felt for her actions that had led Jack here in the first place swelled in her, realizing that this, in part, was her fault. She also knew the growing rift between herself and Will was her fault as well. So much she had to fix.

She just didn't know where to start.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"_Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the_ Flying Dutchman."

"_He's taking over the seas._"

"_De song has already been sung. De Brethren Court is called._"

The world really has gone to parts. And in all the time that he's been perpetually trapped in the Locker, for…how long has it been since the Kraken sank him and his beloved _Pearl_? Weeks? Months?

…Years?

"_The world needs you back somethin' fierce._"

So they say. To be truthful, he missed the company of others. Perhaps. Maybe. Just a smidgeon.

It would've been lonely with only himself as company.

Not that Jack would admit that much to anyone, much less himself. Although he may have already done that, who could tell?

He stared across his cabin, for once taking in the damage that had been done in by the Kraken and the _Flying Dutchman_. The broken door. The ruined woodwork. The blood from the creature painted across the walls and the splintered table. His table, amazingly, remained intact, which was all fine and dandy. He'd need that later. Other personable things were in remarkable condition, not that he could remember. His days spent in the Locker, on that damnable flat surface of sand and no wind, he couldn't remember a thing. It was all a haze, like a dream quickly disappearing from his mind, even if he'd just woken and should remember some details of it.

He sighed, and crossed the cabin, glancing at the occasional broken trinket or bauble he collected from one place or another, picking up something that had once been beautiful and is now sullied with Kraken blood, shattered beyond recognition before dumping it back onto the floor. He was thoroughly glad his bed remained intact and proceeded to shove aside the sheets and lifted the latch underneath, pulling a spare curtain out from underneath.

He set to work in fixing up things inside, for once feeling a purpose in him. He didn't realize how empty things have felt up until now, up until Gibbs had told him he was in the Locker.

How could he not realize?

He pressed through the fog of his mind, and could find…nothing. Nothing at all, except for that same haze surrounding everything. It was if the dream faded when the former crew of the _Black Pearl_ and some Singaporeans accompanying them were waiting for him on the beach.

Jack paused, surveying the cabin. Well, it was cleaner now. Somewhat. It was less hither and thither with items strewn about, but the damage from the Kraken and its long-dried blood still remained. This was going to cost a pretty doubloon and many a gold trinket to repair, no doubt about it.

He listened to the sound of the surf carrying his beloved _Pearl_ farther across uncharted waters, and he reveled in the sea's briny scent, the gentle rocking motions the waves made, the telltale sound of wood creaking. Whatever dream he'd been trapped in felt more like a nightmare. There was none of this. He was sure of it, there had been none of this whatsoever. Not even a miniature lick of wind to put into the sails and now he could feel it through the wrecked glass window behind him.

Above, he could hear the scurrying of men's feet running amok, getting his ship in working order. Then he heard Barbossa's voice cut sharply in the air, muffled, but still distinguishable as that man's. Jack felt a bristle go up and down his back. That thrice-damned man was not the captain of the _Black Pearl_, no matter how he had swindled and kept the _Pearl_ under his command for nigh ten years.

The _Pearl_ was Jack's and nobody else's. His botched deal with Davy Jones was proof of that. Then he briefly pondered if anyone would be surprised if Barbossa was "accidentally" knocked overboard. In that brief moment of respite, he realized he was rubbing at one of the baubles he kept in his hair and dropped his hand.

The Brethren Court, they had said. The song had been sung, and the Pirate Lords would need to be gathering at Shipwreck Cove.

That was perhaps the only reason why they even bothered coming after him. He never passed on his trinket to some other fool to take care of it and declared them the new Pirate Lord of his region. Not that he wanted to. Not if he could find some way of waylaying that fate.

But disregarding all manner of thinking of that road, he returned to the subject that had been brought up on the beach while the surf licked away at the sand mere feet away from his backside earlier. The Brethren Court: They were summoned by the song, and would be making their way to Shipwreck Cove. Cutler Beckett had somehow gotten ahold of the heart of Davy Jones, and now he was in control of that beastly man. The seas were no longer going to be a safe haven for every pirate captain and his sorry ilk, if they were even remotely safe at the moment.

How many would be slayed before…before what? He somehow got back from the Locker and became the last pirate to roam the seas?

…Jack actually liked the sound of that.

The last pirate.

He'd be feared and be the most talked about subject on the high seas in the Spanish Main, even more so than his sacking of Port Nassau, his escape from his marooned little island and his other stories to boot. Possibly the whole world. But there was that problem of Beckett and Davy Jones' heart being in the equation as well…

The clanging of the bell yanked him from these thoughts at once, alongside a man shouting an announcement that evening was underway. Jack gave his cabin one last sweep before realizing how dark it had gotten. He quickly set to work in finding all his lanterns and lighting them. He still had work to get done.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The _Black Pearl_ was underway, with the Singaporeans of the _Hai Peng_ and the original crew of the _Pearl_ working in tandem. Barbossa and Jack had just finished their little showdown with one another. Jack had retreated to his cabin for the time being, while Barbossa surveyed the seas beyond, the charts never too far from him, as always. Lupin was the first below decks, to check the stock of food and water. Elizabeth watched at the girl scampered away before following at a slower, less purposeful stride.

She found she couldn't go beyond the stairs. She could hear the ship creaking more plainly where she sat, the sun at her back. Lupin clattered about in the galley far beyond, curses shouted every once in a while. Elizabeth listened, but didn't really focus on it all, her thoughts and feelings twisting with turmoil. The younger woman fell silent after a while, but Elizabeth didn't notice.

She didn't hear him coming up on her until he was until he was beside her. She hadn't even seen him slip below deck, but there was Will, coming out of the shadows, eyes on her. She glanced at him momentarily, and after she turned to look back at the wall she'd stared at it, he said, "You left Jack to the Kraken."

She avoided his gaze as she replied, "He's rescued now, it's done with."

That didn't seem to be the answer he was looking for. He looked away towards the cells they used to hold unruly crewmates and prisoners. Elizabeth stood, heart pounding. Now it was all coming out, months later after letting it fester inside her. "Will, I had no choice."

"You chose not to tell me."

"I _couldn't_," she sounded almost as desperate as she felt, to try and make him understand. How could she tell him what she'd done, what a horrible decision she had to come to in order to save them all? If they had stayed with Jack and the _Pearl_ any longer, the Kraken would have overtaken them. If Jack had come with them, the same results would have happened. There was little to no crew to fight it off, and what cannons they had left had been utterly destroyed or ripped out of the hull. She had to make a choice that no one else could. "It wasn't your burden to bear."

"But I did bear it, didn't I? I just didn't know what it was. I thought…"

When he'd turned to look at her, she could see the truth on his face, that he had seen her kiss Jack to distract him, chain him to a mast. Lupin hadn't been the only one to see that day. "You thought I loved him."

She wanted to leave, feeling sick with shame, but Will wouldn't let her. He grasped her upper arms and had her against a support beam, trying to see more. "If you make your choices alone, how can I trust you?"

Elizabeth swallowed, and said, "You can't."

It was the truth. She wouldn't trust her either if she were in Will's place. He let her go then and she quickly retreated topside, hands trembling at her sides as she did so. Will leaned against the support beam, a mixed feeling of relief and disappointment welling inside him. She never loved Jack. It had all been just a ruse. But she had kept her intentions from him, kept them secret for all these months. It was why she avoided him. She had been too ashamed to face him properly, to even think of telling him the truth.

His thoughts were quickly distracted at a hoarse, "Ow, shit!"

He turned at the sound and found Lupin there, leaning on one of the cells, a leg raised so she could massage whatever she had hit. She lifted her gaze almost as quickly as he'd turned, frozen when she saw him watching her. A look of guilt crossed her face. How much had she heard? Or better yet…how much did she know? She had been up on the deck that day as well. He started towards her, but stopped.

"You saw that day, didn't you?"

She seemed to shrink on herself, slowly lowering her leg and staring at the ground.

There it was: The look of shame.

"And you kept it from me as well."

She chanced a look at his face and almost seemed to regret it. "She…she asked me not to say anything. I promised I wouldn't. Not until she spoke to you about it. I told her she needed to…I didn't hate her for what she did, but I couldn't forgive her. She hurt someone I cared about."

Will watched this young woman, who suddenly looked as small and fragile as her tiny frame often suggested. He saw none of the confident, angry and downright impertinent nature of the girl he had come to be used to. There was none of her fiery exuberance or witty remarks. Only silence and shame.

"I'm sorry. I did tell her to talk to you, but…" She was looking at him now, and she truly was looking sorry. But he felt no ounce of forgiveness for her. She had allowed the guilt to eat away at her as well, to fester and rot, just as it had with Elizabeth. Had this girl wanted to tell him, but had backed down at the last minute to dole out insults towards him instead? He could never know. The damage was done, though. He studied her for a moment longer, allowing his eyes to flit from her for only a second.

"Perhaps you should follow your own advice for your problems, then."

He turned away and followed the same steps Elizabeth had taken topside, leaving Lupin looking rather bewildered.

"He's right, you know."

The voice startled her, and instinct had her groping for the sword at her side. It was halfway out when she finally saw who it was. She relaxed, but only slightly. When had he come down, she wondered? She didn't remember seeing him down there.

Edward was standing there, watching her, leaning on a support beam not far from her, arms crossed over his chest. His face was a neutral mask. It was hard to get a read on him. She hated it when he did that. She could never do the same, not normally. Then his words hit her and she let her hands drop at her side, unable to conjure up a response.

"You've been avoiding me just like Elizabeth's been avoiding Will."

"I haven't, I've just—,"

"Yes, you have." He didn't raise his voice, didn't even bother to yell or scream. It was a just above a whisper and that made it worse, because it was true. She had been avoiding him. The last true moments of relative affection they'd actually shared was in the iceberg-ridden seas Barbossa had sailed them through. After that, she kept away from him, trying to follow through with her resolve. But those nagging questions always came back to her: would it be so bad to just give in, to risk asking him to come back with her and Bish back to their own time? To ask Alphonse to come as well? Would it have been so bad to do that?

She was tired of leading him on or pushing him away. She needed to do and say one thing, instead of splitting them apart like she'd been doing. And it all came dwindling back to what he'd said: she had been avoiding him for the better part of the past few weeks. There wasn't any excuse for it.

They studied one another for a long time. The tightness in her chest wasn't lessening. She finally dropped her gaze and nodded. "You're right. I…I've been avoiding you. Because I'm…too much of a coward to…" she paused, almost afraid to continue. She swallowed thickly and decided it was too late to turn back now. "To…to talk to you. About what we've both been thinking, but…won't talk about."

"And that would be…?"

She lifted her head up enough to give him a mild glare. "Quit playing dumb."

"Quit being a coward."

The mild glare was turned up a few notches, but she couldn't hold it for long. He wasn't smirking or gloating. It would've been easier to stay mad if he were. At the same time, he was right…again. She gritted her teeth, hating that he was right, hating that she was a coward, hating this whole situation she'd let it get to. Because, in truth, _she_ was the one who'd let it continue on like this. Not him. And she really couldn't blame him for feeling…fed up? Angry? Disappointed? She couldn't tell. He was back to hiding his emotions behind that mask of his. He was really good at it when he wanted to be.

"We've been beating around the bush about this for months," she said slowly, trying to choose her words carefully. "And I guess…you're probably tired of it."

"Something like that."

They paused when someone began scuffling about on deck, then a multitude of footsteps joined in. It died down soon enough. No one shouted for all hands, so it was safe to assume that they could continue.

"I have been a coward," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry. I have been avoiding you…I've been afraid of just…I don't know. Of actually letting anything get beyond the…relationship we have? Whatever it…it is. I don't even know anymore."

She waited. He studied her back, eyes searching her face, and it made her nervous, apprehensive for him to say something. Anything. She was tired of this calculating silence he was dousing her in. It was like he knew it was unnerving her. And he most likely did. Prick.

She was about to open her mouth, whether to beg or to snap him to say something. She wasn't sure which yet. But he finally broke the silence.

"At least we're getting somewhere." He seemed to visibly relax, and there was even a small smile tipping his lips, if a bit of a melancholy one and he sighed. "I didn't want to push you. That's why I haven't said anything lately about it. I was kind of hoping you'd have come around sooner, but…it's better late than never."

He paused for a few moments at a few cries topside. Lupin listened as well. The bell clanged a second later, signaling the time. It was almost evening. Everything fell back into relative silence again. She met Ed's gaze again and was almost taken aback by the disappointed look on his face, one that made him look older than he was.

"Look, I'm not going to breath down your neck anymore about this. It's…obvious you don't have any interest. Sorry for wasting your time."

He made for the staircase that led topside. A beat passed and he was almost to the first step when Lupin latched onto his arm. Thankfully he stopped.

"I'm sorry…I really am a coward. I was scared to…let it get any further than what it already has because if…if I did, then I was afraid of watching it fall apart in the end. I didn't want to get hurt, or-or to see _you_ hurt. I just…kept telling myself that you'd be going home and then I'd be going home but now I…"

_Just say it,_ she kept telling herself. _Get it out. Get it over with. Stop hiding like a scared little girl. _

She looked up at Edward and felt her breath hitch. He was waiting, an expectant look on his face. The disappointment was gone, replaced by curiosity and perhaps even hope. She hadn't even realized she'd dropped her hand back at her side until then. Her throat tightened and she bit the inside of her cheek.

"Come back with me."

The words were out before she could stop them, filter them, do whatever with them. Now that they were out, all she could do was wait. For almost a minute, he looked surprised. Then it slowly began to melt away, his eyes getting a distant look, the one she was used to seeing on his face when he was in deep thought. It was funny how he could find complete and utter focus on something and block out the world like that. At other times, it was annoying. He pulled himself from whatever depths he'd been mucking through in his head and focused on her face. They stared at one another for a long while before he pulled her closer, pulling her into a tight embrace. She froze for only a second, surprise overwhelming her before she pulled her arms up to return the hug.

"Please say something…" She said after a while.

"You stubborn idiot."

"Not what I was expecting." She grouched.

He chuckled quietly, the vibrations rumbling through her. A few beats passed before she growled out, "You bastard. You were _playing_ me this whole time."

"Not the whole time…just part of it. Had to get you talking one way or another. You were driving me nuts. And a few others I could name."

She pondered over his words before snorting. "Bastard," she repeated.

"You're the stubborn idiot here."

She finally lifted her head to mildly glare at him. "Right, and I'm the _only_ one," she remarked with a hint of sarcasm. He laughed again, putting her at arms' length. A wry smile was on her face now, even if she was trying to fight it. She wanted to be mad, but she was finding it hard to be.

"I won't deny it."

"Better not." She paused, feeling the humor finally dying down again and the smile she had was fading. "Now what?"

He pursed his lips, considering the question before answering. "I…I'll talk with Alphonse. But I think…maybe he's already been talking with Bish about this." Lupin nodded at his answer. She knew he'd want to talk to his brother. It should've been the first thing she thought of. They both snapped their attention to the half hour bell, the usual time she'd start with meals for the crew. Reluctantly, Edward pulled his hands back to his side.

"Guess you should get started with whatever's left in stock, then. Do you need any help?"

Lupin hesitated before shaking her head. "Not much left in stock that I'll need help with. I'll make due, though."

She turned to leave for the galley. Ed stopped her briefly, and she looked at him questioningly.

"We'll get out of here, you've got my word on that one." He finally said. A few seconds passed and she smiled, relaxation finally settling between them for the first time in weeks. It was a relief.

"I know."

**OoOoOoOoOoO**


End file.
